Many are my persecutors
These "persecutors" are those who run after or pursue. Every believer
who stands on the truths of God's word, loves them, defends them, and
will not turn away from them is pursued by persecutors. The eyes of
persecutors are upon faithful believers at all times desiring not only
to intimidate them but also to eventually destroy them, their faith, and
their precious word of God.
and mine enemies.
The Hebrew word for "enemies" has the basic meaning of "tight, narrow,
or in distress." Enemies make the faithful work for God a hardship. They
put stumbling blocks before us to make us stumble and fall, lose our
testimony, and weaken our influence. These enemies also make war against
Christians whether they are true believers or those who only nominally
believe. The enemy's desire is to destroy all evidence of the existence
of Christian influence in the world and will destroy property, people,
and literature in order to do this. Phil. 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
The word "decline" carries the idea of reclining or "stretching out."
This meaning would indicate that some believers may be lazy in their
faithfulness to remain and continue in the word of God, searching the
Scriptures, for in them they can find eternal life. Another meaning of
the word "decline" means to "thrust away." This would mean that some
would turn the Scriptures away from themselves for direction,
inspiration, and comfort.
But
the psalmist here admits that, though the persecutors and enemies may
be many, he still remains faithful to the word of God. Even though the
comfort and assurance of the word of God seems out of play in our
current situation, we need still to remain faithful to reading God's
word. The assurance that God's word gives us will come through in due
time.
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