How does Psalm 69:26 highlight the consequences of persecuting God's servants? A Psalm Born in Suffering • Psalm 69 records David’s cry while enemies mock, slander, and attack him for his devotion to the LORD (vv. 7–12). • The Holy Spirit also points the Psalm forward to Christ, whom the New Testament repeatedly links to this song (John 2:17; 15:25; Romans 15:3). • Verse 26 exposes the darkest side of that hostility and sets up the judgments requested in the surrounding verses. Verse 26—What the Persecutors Did “ ‘For they persecute him You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.’ ” (Psalm 69:26) • “Persecute” – They pursue and harass someone already suffering. • “Him You struck” – The servant endures divinely allowed affliction; instead of pity, enemies pile on. • “Recount the pain” – They talk about the wounds, gloating over misery, reliving and publicizing it. • Their cruelty turns discipline meant for refinement into additional torment. Why God Takes This Personally • They despise His chosen servant (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 105:15). • They presume to add to what God alone has the right to administer (Deuteronomy 32:35). • They treat sacred suffering with contempt—mocking what God may be using for purification (Hebrews 12:6). • By touching the afflicted believer, they touch “the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8) and provoke divine jealousy. Consequences Spelled Out in the Psalm David immediately asks God to act, and the inspired text records the judgments (vv. 22–28). Notice the escalating penalties: • Their everyday “table” becomes a trap (v 22). • Physical blindness and crippling fear (v 23). • An outpouring of divine wrath (v 24). • Desolation of their homes (v 25). • Added guilt—sin compounding sin (v 27). • Exclusion from God’s righteousness and from the “Book of Life” (v 28). The message is unmistakable: persecuting God’s servant draws severe, multifaceted judgment. Echoes Across Scripture • Genesis 12:3 – “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you.” • 2 Samuel 22:26–28 – God deals with the crooked by bringing them down. • Acts 9:4 – Jesus tells Saul, “Why do you persecute Me?”; attacking believers equals attacking Christ. • 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – “God is just: He will repay with affliction those who afflict you.” Together these texts confirm that Psalm 69:26 is not an isolated warning but part of a consistent biblical pattern: harm God’s people and invite His retribution. Application—Why This Warning Still Matters • Persecution of believers is ultimately opposition to God Himself; He will intervene. • Believers can trust that mistreatment is noticed, measured, and answered by a righteous Judge (Romans 12:19). • Compassion, not cruelty, is the fitting response when God allows someone to suffer; mercy aligns us with His heart (Matthew 5:7). • Psalm 69 also comforts the wounded: God sees those who “recount your pain,” and He will settle the accounts—completely, perfectly, and forever. |
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