Psalm 119 was written after the exile. The psalmist experienced the reality of living in difficult times. While he held firmly to his faith, he likely suffered humiliation and had to speak of God’s law before kings. Therefore, he prayed for God’s mercy and grace so that he might walk in freedom.

The word “shame” carries meanings such as mockery, insult, or curse. This term also appears in verse 39, showing that the psalmist often faced humiliation in his life. He confessed to God that this was “..the reproach that I dread“ (v. 39). In verse 42, he again mentioned being shamed and expressed his need to answer those who taunted him, and to speak of God’s decrees before kings without being put to shame. Though the psalmist did not detail his experiences, the description of being humiliated yet standing before kings to proclaim God’s law reminds us of Daniel’s story.

Daniel lived among exiles in a foreign land but remained faithful to God’s law. Even when facing the schemes of his enemies, he continued to pray three times a day. His faithfulness threatened his enemies, who then conspired to issue a decree forbidding anyone to pray to any god for thirty days. Yet Daniel still prayed to the Lord as usual. As a result, he was thrown into the lions’ den for violating the decree. It seemed as though his enemies had won, and even King Darius could not revoke the law. But God’s salvation was revealed at that very moment—the mouths of the lions were shut by God’s angel, and Daniel was unharmed, showing the mighty power of God. Seeing this, King Darius not only punished the conspirators but also proclaimed to the whole nation that everyone must fear and revere the eternal God. Daniel held firmly to God’s Word, remained steadfast to the end, and experienced God’s grace—so that both his enemies and the king saw the power of the King of kings.

Brothers and sisters, we may not experience what the psalmist or Daniel went through, but we can see that both of them felt fear and anxiety in such circumstances. Yet they did not remain in fear or humiliation. Instead, they turned to God, trusted in Him, kept His law, sought His instruction, and meditated on His statutes.

Today, we too may face pressures at work from our superiors. In our busyness, we may neglect to draw near to God. Sometimes, we might even feel “forced” to compromise our faith principles in certain social interactions. These are all real situations that we cannot deny. How, then, should we respond? We must fix our eyes on God amid these challenges. We must let His Word become the strength that helps us face difficulties with courage. We must constantly meditate on and obey His Word.

This is not merely a passionate declaration—it is a way of living. When we face pressure at work, we rely on God’s Word to keep peace in our hearts. When our schedules become busy, we do not let busyness control us but instead set aside regular time to pray and draw near to God. When we are with non-believing friends and encounter situations that conflict with our faith, we gently but firmly choose not to compromise, for we are Christians. May the Lord help us to long for His truth and to learn to depend on His mighty power.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You. Though our lives are filled with many challenges and difficulties, the truth is that You reign forever. You are the God who was, who is, and who is to come. You are full of love, mercy, and care for us. Strengthen our faith, Lord, that we may trust in You each day and long to seek Your Word, for we need You every moment. We commit all this to You and pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.