People gain a sense of peace after they have experience of deciding to live by God’s word rather than succumb to pressure.
‘Great peace have those who love your law, nothing can make them stumble.’ (Psalm 119:165)
They have learned that God is greater than any oppression, so they are not easily driven by it. While oppressed, they live out God’s word waiting for His intervention.
Psalm 119:161-164 shows the development of this hope. We see the Psalmist persecuted by powerful people, yet rather than trembling at these oppressors he trembles at God’s word. It is the Lord I must take seriously when people try to pressurise me to compromise my integrity. In this place of oppression, he looks for a promise from God; a treasure he can cling to that shows God’s perspective. This is a telling statement, for oppression makes us feel like fools to hold to integrity. I can need an assurance from God’s word that I am on the right path.
Related articles
- A Psalm for the Faint of Heart (garyrunn.com)