Let the insolent be put to shame,
because they have wronged me with falsehood;
as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

Psalm 119:78 ESV

Having just appealed to the LORD in the previous two verses for steadfast love to comfort him and mercy to give him life, the psalmist now turns his attention on the insolent. These are the proud and defiant, who persist in their wickedness without any fear of God. And in the context of this psalm, they are persecuting the psalmist by mocking and speaking lies against him.

He prays for them to be put to shame.

And so they shall.

Scripture consistently teaches that the proud will be humbled. All who refuse to bow before God will be broke low by Him, in the end.

Of course, the opposite is also true. God exalts the humble. All who come to God in reverence, acknowledging that He alone is God are quick to receive His favor and mercy.

But those who do not humble themselves will be humbled and put to shame. Sometimes that happens in this life whenever God allows them to receive the earthly consequences of their sins. Sometimes as with Manasseh or Paul, this brings them to repentance and faith.

But not always. God also shows judgment by allowing the wicked to continue in their sin, storing up greater and greater judgment for the last day.

The psalmist prays for God to put them to shame for they have wronged me with falsehood. They were lying about him. Sadly, this is normal for the people of God. In the early church, false accusations were widespread. Writers like Tertullian gave much of their energy to answer those falsehoods. And that is a continual theme throughout church history. But while it is painful, it should not be surprising.

Our Lord Himself warned us that it would be so. A servant is not greater than his master, nor a student than his teacher. If Christ was slandered with falsehood, why should we expect to be treated any differently?

Indeed, Peter plainly tells us not to be surprised when the fiery trial comes upon us as though something strange were happening (1 Peter 4:12).

As for me, I will meditate on your precepts. Even though his enemies speak falsehood, he will cling to the truth. He refuses to repay evil with evil, and he refuses to forsake the LORD. He sets his heart more deeply upon God’s Word.

That is the pattern for God’s people. Whenever we are slandered or mocked, it ought to drive us toward an even deeper dependence upon God. Affliction should cast us upon the Rock of our salvation.

May we, therefore, long for the day when all falsehood is exposed and the proud are brought to shame. And as we wait for that day, may we be a people to meditate on the precepts of our almighty King.