Psalm 119:53 “Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked who forsake Your law.” (The KJV is “Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.”)
LAW = law, direction, instruction, direction (human or divine) and the Mosaic Law (KJV = law. The word implies that which rules, guides, directs; therefore, a rule of conduct, and this was evidently the psalmist’s meaning. God’s Word was not something to be merely talked about, praised, or argued over, but it was to order a man’s life and be his constant guide.
In these last days, we often hear of offensive things in and out of churches. As for “in churches,” we have movements that grate against the sensitivity of biblical Christians. I can only speak for myself here and not for others, but I know by listening and reading that others would think the same thing.
I find it greatly distasteful that a church stands on its platform of inclusivity. That means it endorses homosexual/lesbian marriage, different sexual unions, and church positions for such people. These same churches promote the WOKEism of gender distortion and anti-Israel, pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian causes, and Interfaith relations.
They are usually on the left side of politics, and in the USA, they would side with Democrats; in Britain with the Labour Party; in Australia with the Australian Labor Party or the communist Greens.
There is no shame with these people. They are liberal in theology; they do not hold to the inerrant inspiration of scripture; they are married to the world’s values, BUT sadly they are found increasingly among the traditional Denominations that once stood firmly on God’s word, such as the Methodists/Uniting Church and even the once-conservative Baptists. In Britain, the King (Charles) and the Archbishop of Canterbury have utterly betrayed the Church of England, and by inference, all Christians. King Charles the Third is an utter disgrace, as were the two murderous King Charles’s before him.
Some of you will know about this better than I do. Jack Graham, a well-known Southern Baptist Pastor, has come out to endorse Paula White and Benny Hinn. That whole story is covered by Justin Peters, and you can get it easily on YouTube. I hear other stories about the current state of the Southern Baptists that are quite disturbing.
The fracturing of Denominations and the liberalism that is engulfing them is outrageous. It is not a surprise at all. Those of us who lived and preached in the 1960s would speak about the decline of the true Christian faith and would point to the World Council of Churches as evidence. 60 to 70 years ago, the evangelical Denominations were either sound or very sound. Now the World Council of Churches does not get a mention because what we now have is rapidly perverse.
I am going to write on this soon, I hope, but what we see now in the UK and France and Spain and soon to come in other places is serious, with wicked implications. The USA is not going to be spared. Your election in November will probably see the Democrats take power again, and they will be ruthless this time because the Party has hardened to the socialist/Marxist left.
In the NASB, the opening of this verse is “burning indignation” for those who hold such positions of wickedness. I feel the same, and we will explore the meaning of that expression shortly.
There is one other movement in churches that upsets me, and also many others, because IN THE NAME OF Christ they believe in and practice awful things while scamming billions from desperate and sick Christians around the world. These are the Balaams in the churches, a scourge to Jesus Christ, and reap for themselves the most severe judgement. They are extortionists, and most of them have had some connection to Oral Roberts University.
I refer to the Prosperity teaching, or the word of faith movement, or the “name and claim” or “blab and grab” and other connotations this movement has. People are not healed but give their money in the desperation that their debts will be paid off, or their bodies healed. The fat cats of their leaders get rich and flaunt their wealth around shamelessly, especially Copeland and Duplantis.
These are the likes of Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Bill Johnson, and I could name dozens more. They “make me sick” with their horrible theology, such as “little gods” and Jesus suffering in hell, sowing seeds, and the absolute destruction of scriptural context.
So much for “in the churches.” What about “outside the churches”? The Psalm verse speaks about those who “forsake Your law,” and this is becoming serious in so many nations now. As we are in the last days of the Church age, we expect to see a great turning away from decent and biblical principles from Governments. We are seeing this. They despise God’s word through legislation and implementation of horrible practices and laws, as the world lurches towards a resurgence of Communism/Marxism, and Islamic domination.
Hate Speech laws operate in my nation, and I can get arrested for criticizing the Federal Government; for speaking out against homosexuality; for criticizing Islam; and for quoting the Bible in public. Right at this point in time, that is not happening too much, but the attitude is hardening, the hate laws legislation is passed, and soon it will fall on God’s people. Those who do such things hate the Bible and what it stands for and what it teaches. These people are demonic. Naturally enough, they are very hateful of Israel, as is the whole of the Australian Government (the Labor Party = the very, very worst of American Democrats).
Those in the United States need not be complacent. This evil is fast gaining ground in Democrat States, especially California and New York. I have seen some very disturbing trends against Christians and Christian beliefs in these states, especially California. We blame politicians and bureaucrats for all this, but Christians need to be aware that a godless and corrupt people will vote for a godless and corrupt Government. Just another sign of the times.
How we long for the Lord to return and catch us away to glory.
EXAMINING THE VERSE IN MORE DETAIL
Psalm 119:53 “BURNING INDIGNATION has SEIZED me because of the wicked who forsake Your law.”
The opening of the verse is translated this way:
“Burning indignation” – NASB
“Hot indignation” – ESV
“horror” – KJV
“Indignation” – NIV
“Burning indignation” – LSB
“Rage” – Holman
Commentator Ellicott says, “violent indignation.” Matthew Henry says, “Sin is horrible in the eyes of all that are sanctified. Ere long the believer will be absent from the body, and present with the Lord.”
Strong’s says, “burning heat, raging heat.” What all the versions are trying to bring out is the very strong emotion David has because of what has been done by those who turn away from the standards of the Scriptures, because they forsake the word of God, and automatically they discard God also.
David obviously had that wickedness operating in his time, as do we. The big difference is that this “man after God’s own heart” did not know about Artificial Intelligence. AI has taken over so rapidly that now we have data banks of storage on people – their behavior, what they view online, where they go, what they write about, what they buy; in fact, everything. It is absolutely horrifying. Microsoft and Google are at the forefront here, especially with Windows 11. At any time, a malevolent government could immediately round up dissenters and Christians. We are getting so close to the Tribulation, and what we see is awful, and I reckon we don’t even know a fraction of what is really out there.
Those who forsake the Law/law of God see Christians as enemies of the State, because the State implements rules and legislation that destroy and corrupt Marriage, Gender, Creation, Raising of Children, Education, Social Issues, Freedom of the Christian Faith, and so much more. Yes, I understand the people who do videos on YouTube and certain social media outlets against all these demonic movements, while they still have a certain amount of freedom to do so. Google is one of the greatest evil influences in the world and does a lot of editing against Christian posts and movies.
Americans need to be thankful that it has in its Constitution – is it called “Amendment” or “Clause” – the first one that gives people the right to free speech. My nation has no such thing, and that makes us all liable. We have no protection.
I wish to quote Alfred Barnes here because he summarizes this very well. Here is what he says:
Horror hath taken hold upon me – Has seized me; has overpowered and overwhelmed me. I shudder; I tremble; I am afraid; I am filled with distress. Luther, “I am burnt up.” The Hebrew word – זלעפה zal‛âphâh – is from a verb meaning “to be hot; to glow”; and the idea in the word is that of violent heat; then, a glow or burning, as of a wind – the “simoom” of the desert. See Psalm 11:6, where the word is translated “horrible tempest,” in the margin, “burning.” The word occurs only in that passage, in the one before us, and in Lamentations 5:10, where it is rendered “terrible (famine),” in the margin, “terrors,” or “storms.” The state referred to here is that of one who sees the storm of burning wind and sand approaching; who expects every moment to be overcome and buried; whose soul trembles with consternation.
We must look at another word in Psalm 119:53. It is the word “seized” or “taken hold of.” The various applications of this word can be “grasp, take hold, seize, take possession, to be caught.” They are strong words, and in the psalmist’s soul, this is the reaction the departure and corruption of God’s word causes. The verse is his reaction to “being seized.” It is the response of a man of integrity who has strong biblical convictions.
Surely, there is something wrong with a person of Christian profession who has no concern or interest in “the signs of the times” or in what is happening around him, and little concern about the decay of decency and the plight of suffering Christians in the world. That is how one can be overtaken, and realization comes too late.
What can a man and woman of God do about all this? Most of us are “nobodies” in this world, and Paul wrote this interesting observation –1 Corinthians 1:26-28 “Consider your calling, brethren, that THERE WERE NOT MANY wise according to the flesh, NOT MANY mighty, NOT MANY noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen; the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are…”
“Not many” is because the “many” are a law unto themselves, and treat the things of God with contempt and consider them as stupidity. They are fools according to God. They populate the world, greatly outnumbering the “foolish/weak idiots” who believe in “this God rubbish” (us).
Combating these outbursts of wickedness is a vexed problem because most Christians are simple folk with a trust in the Lord, and don’t move in the world’s jet streams. I have observed that most either don’t know what really exists outside their church community, or it is beyond their reach, so they stay silent.
Amos wrote in a time of evil. This is part of that time – Amos 5:12-13 “I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, you who distress the righteous and accept bribes, and turn aside the poor in the gate. Therefore, AT SUCH A TIME THE PRUDENT PERSON KEEPS SILENT, FOR IT IS AN EVIL TIME.”
A Proverbs verse touches on something similar – Proverbs 11:12 “He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, but A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING KEEPS SILENT.”
We know some Christians/groups speak out to draw attention to what is happening, and God bless them for that. We also have Christian apologists. Often if you speak with a Christian about these terrible things, their response is, “Pray.”
We might say too that burning indignation should be a lot more than sadness and criticism. It ought to move us to the Bible and the reading and study of the scriptures, including and not neglecting the prophetic scriptures. David was upset about the way the wicked were trashing the Law, the scriptures, and it is to the scriptures we should go.