The Most Avoided Messianic Psalm (2): The Persecutions of the Godly (Psalm 69:5-8) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Nature of Them
II. The Reasons for Them
III. The Prayer Regarding Them
Psalm singing: 111:1-6; 33:1-7; 31:9-11; 69:4-8 (see below for the words to the Psalms)
Scripture reading: Psalm 69:1-26
John Calvin: "The Psalmist farther aggravates his complaint by the additional circumstance, that he was cruelly cast off by his own relations and friends; from which we are taught, that when by our devotedness to the cause of religion we cannot avoid exciting the displeasure of our brethren against us, it is our duty simply to follow God, and not to confer with flesh and blood" (Comm. on Ps. 69:8).

Psalm 111:1-6
1 PRAISE ye the Lord : with my whole heart
I will God’s praise declare,
Where the assemblies of the just
and congregations are.
2 The whole works of the Lord our God
are great above all measure,
Sought out they are of ev’ry one
that doth therein take pleasure.
3 His work most honourable is,
most glorious and pure,
And his untainted righteousness
for ever doth endure.
4 His works most wonderful he hath
made to be thought upon:
The Lord is gracious, and he is
full of compassion.
5 He giveth meat unto all those
that truly do him fear;
And evermore his covenant
be in his mind will bear.
6 He did the power of his works
unto his people show,
When he the heathen’s heritage
upon them did bestow.

Psalm 33:1-7
1 YE righteous, in the Lord rejoice;
it comely is and right,
That upright men, with thankful voice,
should praise the Lord of might.
2 Praise God with harp, and unto him
sing with the psaltery;
Upon a ten-string’d instrument
make ye sweet melody.
3 A new song to him sing, and play
with loud noise skilfully ;
4 For right is God’s word, all his works
are done in verity.
5 To judgment and to righteousness
a love he beareth still;
The loving-kindness of the Lord
the earth throughout doth fill.
6 The heavens by the word of God
did their beginning take;
And by the breathing of his mouth
he all their hosts did make.
7 The waters of the seas he brings
together as an heap ;
And in storehouses, as it were,
he layeth up the deep.

Psalm 31:9-14
9 O Lord, upon me mercy have,
for trouble is on me:
Mine eye, my belly, and my soul,
with grief consumed be.
10 Because my life with grief is spent,
my years with sighs and groans:
My strength doth fail; and for my sin
consumed are my bones.
11 I was a scorn to all my foes,
and to my friends a fear;
And specially reproach’d of those
that were my neighbours near:
When they me saw they from me fled.
12 Ev’n so I am forgot,
As men are out of mind when dead :
I’m like a broken pot.
13 For slanders I of many heard ;
fear compass’d me, while they
Against me did consult, and plot
to take my life away.
14 But as for me, 0 Lord, my trust
upon thee I did lay;
And I to thee, Thou art my God,
did confidently say

Psalm 69:4-8
4 Those men that do without a cause
bear hatred unto me,
Than are the hairs upon my head
in number more they be:
They that would me destroy, and are
mine en’mies wrongfully,
Are mighty: so what I took not,
to render forc’d was I.
5 Lord, thou my folly know’st, my sins
not cover’d are from thee.
6 Let none that wait on thee be sham’d,
Lord God of hosts, for me.
O Lord, the God of Israel,
let none, who search do make,
And seek thee, be at any time
confounded for my sake.
7 For I have borne reproach for thee,
my face is hid with shame.
8 To brethren strange, to mother’s sons
an alien I became.