A Look at Psalm 119:51
Strong enough to be meek
Psalm 119:51 “The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law.”
In this verse, we see one of the primary battles of the ages: the proud against the humble. When David says he will not turn from God’s laws, he is expressing his willingness to obey God. Willingness to obey necessitates a spirit of meekness. Only the meek can truly obey God in the face of mockery. It is commonplace to perceive meekness as weakness. Not so! In actuality it takes tremendous strength to stand in opposition to one’s peers.
Meekness portrays strength of character. The arrogant lack character. Subsequently, they cannot restrain their mockery for others. Arrogant people are full of pride or self. They attempt to exalt themselves by demeaning others. They do not possess the kind of character qualities required to show restraint. David clung to the law of God even though he was being challenged to break it. He expressed humility.
The humble (meek) are willing to endure because their obedience to God is a primary motivator in their lives. This kind of humility was displayed by Jesus when He stood before Pilate. The arrogant mocked Him without restraint, yet Jesus did not retaliate in the way they expected He would. Instead, He obeyed the law of His Father. Jesus knew that His obedience to His Father was far more important than their false accusations about Him. Instead of coming to His own defense, He turned the other cheek and died for them.
Mockery and persecution are a testing ground to prove if we are as meek as we think ourselves to be. It is one thing to consider oneself humble when we are not facing any kind of criticism, but it is an entirely different thing to actually put humility into practice in the face of arrogance.
Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate over it. As you do, consider how you react when falsely accused.
Continued
