The theme of persecution is one that is not often preached, because it seems depressing and negative, at first glance. Church goers don't like to be told that they should get ready to be persecuted. But it is a Biblical theme, and something that God wants His people to be aware of. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to his son in the Faith, Timothy, about persecution:

"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:10-13).

We should not go through life in a naive unthinking sort of way. Paul said that when he was a child, he thought as a child. But when he became a man, he put away childish thoughts. We need to grow up into mature followers of Christ. It is a part of the Christian "world-view" that there ARE people who hate God and God's people.

An evil man named "Doeg" is the example that goes along with this Psalm, and may be mentioned in your Bible version in a note before the Psalm.

We find the story of Doeg in I Samuel 21 and 22. David was fleeing from King Saul who meant to kill David. Saul feared rightly that someday David would become King, and then Saul's sons would not inherit the throne. David and his supporters had been fleeing on foot for three days, when they came to the city of Nob, where Ahimelec the priest served in the Tabernacle in those days. Ahimelec supported David, and gave him holy bread to eat, and the sword of Goliath, which was in keeping there. One of Saul's most loyal servants was there, and saw what happened. His name was Doeg. He was a wealthy and powerful man. Later, he met with Saul, and told Saul that Ahimelec the priest had helped David. Saul ordered his soldiers to kill Ahimelec and all his relatives, but the soldiers refused to do such a murderous deed. Then Saul ordered Doeg to do the deed, and he did it with relish. We read in I Samuel 22:17-19....

"Then the king ordered the guards at his side: "Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, yet they did not tell me." But the king's officials were not willing to raise a hand to strike the priests of the LORD. The king then ordered Doeg, "You turn and strike down the priests." So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck them down. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. He also put to the sword Nob, the town of the priests, with its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep."

Psalm 2:2-3 informs us that many of the rulers of this world want nothing more than to cast off God and His laws:

"The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."

In the movie the Passion, it was evident and plain that the Jewish leaders hated Jesus, and that the Roman soldiers hated Jesus. And of course, Satan hated Jesus. Jesus said in John 15:18-21:

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me."

It is sad to think that much of the world hates God, and His Son Jesus. The world also hates anyone who is a child of God, and who believes in Jesus. It is important to tell people when they become Christians that they are enlisting in God's army. God saves us from our sins, and then puts us in the battle which is raging all around us, the battle between good and evil.

Our battle is not one that we fight with guns and swords. Jesus said to Pilate that if His kingdom were of this world, then his servants would indeed fight in that way. But our battle is a spiritual battle with the forces of darkness.

Paul goes into quite a bit of detail about this battle in his letter to some Christians in Ephesus:

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Who are our chief enemies? Satan and his demons. Certainly Mao, Hitler and Stalin were terrible enemies to God's people, and the Communist and Islamic powers of this world are still persecuting and killing Christians today. However, they are merely tools in the hand of Satan. He has blinded their eyes, and he is seeking to influence their plans to fight against Jesus and the Church.

Eph 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

We can't succeed in this battle without using the full armor of God. Many Christians don't give much thought to this, and it is no wonder that they are being defeated time and time again in their Christian living. How many Christians really take time, and discipline themselves to put God first in their lives?

Eph 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Eph 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

The belt of Truth is the Word of God.
The breastplate of righteousness is Christ's righteousness, and also a holy life.
The Gospel of peace is the Gospel, which brings peace with God, and the peace OF God in our hearts. And what is the Gospel? Would you be able to explain the Gospel to a friend who was looking for salvation? The atonement of Christ. Justification by grace through faith, not of works. The risen Christ, at God's right hand, our King, and our High Priest.

Eph 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

If your faith is strong NONE of the flaming arrows of Satan will harm you. If your faith is weak, you will be hit over and over again. Trust in God! Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ! Depend on Him! Pray for God to strengthen your faith! Give your life to Him! Quit doubting, quit trying to lead a double life. No man can serve two masters.

Eph 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Salvation is your helmet that protects your life. Once saved, always saved. If you have truly been born again, Satan cannot kill you. The Sword of the Spirit, in your hand is the Word of God. It is a strong weapon against Satan and his deceptions. The preaching of the Word of God can conquer the kingdoms of the earth. Jesus has ordered us to go everywhere, preaching the Word, making disciples in every nation.

Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

If Jesus needed to pray, what makes you think you can live the Christian life without praying? Prayer is essential for more reasons that I have time to mention this morning. But the old clever saying is true, seven days without prayer make one weak.

The Psalmist has more to say about the role of Faith in facing up to the attacts of the wicked. We must have faith that God will punish the wicked, and reward those who stand faithful to Him.

Psa 52:5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.
Psa 52:6 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying,
Psa 52:7 "Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!"

Atheists have a favorite argument against the existence of God. They say that if an almighty, and an all righteous God existed, then there would not be so much evil in the world. A God who is all good, and all powerful, would stop all the evil doers. Therefore, according to the Atheist argument, God does not exist. But they leave out one little word: "yet." God has not 'YET' put an end to evil. There is coming a day when God will judge the world with righteousness, and all that is evil will indeed be purged out of it. We must have faith that God is almighty, that God is all Good, and that God will eventually make all things right. He will bring judgment on the wicked.

We must also have faith that God will reward those who love Him. Hebrews 11:6 says:

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." David certainly believed this with all his heart. He wrote in Psalm 52:8-9...

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints."

David looked forward to an eternal life of praise to God, and eternal fellowship with all the other saints (believers).