What to do when people are plotting against you?
April 24, 2020
Psalm 119.23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.
It is a fantastic attitude David express in what he says here. He shows us who has the highest priority with him. When the officers and leaders sit and talk negatively about him, it is not important for him to defend himself. What is important to him is to give the Word the right place in his mind.
David is not in an easy situation when he writes this verse. The chieftains are sitting and conspiring against him. Important leaders sit together and talk negatively about him. The princes are plotting against him. He faces great adversity and a lot of negativity. In the former verse he met scorn and contempt, but now it is even worse. He is opposed by great men, chiefs, powerful officers and princes.
When we understand this difficult situation that David was in, his reaction is startling! He sees himself as a servant of God. This identity, I am the servant of God, helps him to have the right focus. He does not need to be drawn by what people think of him, or how they oppose him. His reaction is amazing: I will meditate on your statutes.
It is actually the best we can do when things are difficult. When people talk about us negatively. When people oppose us. When people put bad plans on us. Then it is time to ignore these people and rather turn to the word of God for guidance in how we should respond. God's Word will then show us that we are not fighting against man, but against evil and dark powers who manipulate and use people.
Asaph was one of those who faced many difficulties and struggled with painful questions. This he told about in Psalm 73. What godless people said and did, hurt him badly. He was despondent and discouraged and was about giving up. Until he began to see things from an eternal perspective, from God's point of view. When we meditate on the Lord's regulations, we receive a positive antidote to the negative talk we are exposed to. When we meditate on the Word of God, the negative words steal from our enemy. They no longer hurt us, they lose power. When we meditate on the word of God, we become resistant in the spiritual warfare against negative talk.
The Passion Translation says it this way: For even if the princes and my leaders criticize me, I will continue to serve you and walk in your plans for my life.