ר Resh
153 Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal. NIV
How is this 20th stanza of Psalm 119 a real-time example of Matthew 5:10-11? If you found yourself in this sort of situation, would you have what it takes to endure in righteousness?
What pressures or realities in our society make it difficult for Christians to stay committed to righteousness?
What difference should verse 160 make in your own resolve to obey God's commands?
Take a moment to pray that you, your family and your friends will have the conviction to act in righteousness over the next 24 hours.
::::: Digging Deep :::::
Scan through each verse in this stanza. In what specific ways does the writer of this Psalm love God's commands? With which lines do you resonate? Which lines seem foreign to your own experience? From the concepts in this passage, continue to pray according to the Lord's prompting in your heart.