Psalm 140

“Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war.  They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips.  Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have purposed to make my steps stumble. – Selah” Psalm 140:1-3 (NKJV)

It is important to note that there have been evil men throughout history.  And until Messiah returns, there will continue to be evil on earth.  Just as David, the author of Psalm 140, was unjustly persecuted, so the “Son of David,” Jesus, was persecuted.  Jesus told His disciples that anyone who follows Him will also be persecuted.

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” John 15:18-25 (NKJV)

This reality of persecution “for the sake of the gospel” is not popular in many pulpits these days.  Preachers would rather focus on the more positive aspects of the gospel: grace, peace & love.  While that type of preaching may draw a crowd, sadly, it draws a gasp in heaven because it leads people into false expectations of how the life of a believer should look.  And it causes people to wrongly judge the presence of persecution in their lives (or in the lives of other believers).  Under false teaching, if coming to faith means the end of hardship, then the presence of persecution must signal a departure from the faith.  Persecution, then, becomes a signal of something the believer is doing WRONG when it actually signals what we are doing RIGHT!

In claiming the “promises” of Jesus, perhaps we should consider His promise of persecution/tribulation.  (John 16:33)  But knowing persecution is coming should not lead us to anxiety when we also know that Jesus not only predicted our persecution but also prayed for our ultimate protection & redemption.  

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” John 17:14-15 (NKJV)

(Compare: Psalm 140:5-13 with Revelation 20:11-15; 21:1-8)