6. Bible Faith: ‘the song of the drunkards’! Psalm 69:10-12

Text: “They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.  But as for me, my prayer is unto Thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of Thy mercy hear me, in the truth of Thy Salvation.”

Psalm 69:12-13

Good morning, constantly ridiculed Christian!  When the unsaved world all around us see us seeking to exercise Christian faith, they are immediately confused: they are confused because they see no sense is our seeking to deny ourselves, our carnal desires, our selfish wants, and greed, and personal preferment.

The unsaved very quickly conclude that we are seeking to follow after God the Spirit, as opposed to following after, catering at all times for, the spirit of the flesh.  Our vocation in Christ is promptly opposed by them, and open ridicule is quickly pressed upon us.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things off the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit (God the Spirit!) the things of the Spirit.  For (a conclusion) to be carnally minded is death; but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace (with God).  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”  (Romans 8:5-7)

Dictionary Definition: Ridicule – (noun) absurdity; derision; mockery. (verb transitive) to laugh at; to make fun of; to deride; to mock. Etc.(The Chambers Dictionary, page 1419)

Ridicule is heaped upon the Christian who, when being invited by unsaved acquaintances out for a sumptuous meal, defers to attend, ‘Because I am currently fasting to seek to draw closer to my Saviour, Jesus Christ.’  The unsaved do not understand such self-denial, and are very quick to contact unsaved friends to heap ridicule upon that Christian for refusing to waver from his/her dedication to Christ.

Verse 10.  “When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. Our Saviour wept much in secret for our sins, and no doubt His private soul-chastenings on our behalf were very frequent.  Lone mountains and desert places saw repeated agonies, which, if they could disclose them, would astonish us indeed.  The emaciation which these exercises wrought in our Lord made Him appear nearly fifty years old when He was but little over thirty; this which was to His honour was used as a matter of reproach against Him.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, page 301)

In a similar manner, the Christian - if he/she is genuinely a Bible-believing, born again, Christian – is promised such open oppositions and ridicule for his/her zeal in trying to live life as His Lord Jesus desires him/her to live. 

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”  (2 Timothy 4:12-13)

This is happening day and daily in this increasingly apostate and sin-sick 21^st Century!  One look all around us will prove the point I am here making.

All things ‘Christian’ and ‘good’, and which have been internationally recognised as ‘NORMAL’, are being ditched, dumped, and ridiculed by an increasingly antichristian world of unbelievers, just as the Scriptures predicted would happen, before that great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus’ return.  We are actually living in the days of the ‘great falling away’ of all things Christian! Praise God!  The Lord Jesus returns real soon!

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

“Behold here, virtue is accounted vice; truth, blasphemy; wisdom, folly.  Behold, the peace-maker of the world is judged a seditious person; the fulfiller of the law, a breaker of the law; our Saviour, a sinner; our God, a Devil.”  (Sir John Hayward, 1560-1627, in ‘The Sanctuary of a Troubled Soul’)

A brief look at the television channels today will quickly support what I have written in this Bible Lesson thus far: in all my 76 years of life, I have never witnessed such absolute filth, foul language, using the very Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as a swear word; and ridiculing everything pertaining to Christian holiness, goodness, and sober-living. 

The television screens today are spewing out what is in the blackest hearts of writers who expose themselves as the most perverted soldiers of Satan we have ever encountered – and anything even nominally deemed ‘Christian’, or wholesome, is treated with open scorn and the ever-present ridicule. 

Christians, Christianity, and the Christ Himself, are become ‘the song of the drunkards’.  It frightens me to know the depth of Eternal punishments that awaits the increasing choir of detracting souls singing against the Almighty Lord God Jehovah.  Hell will be hot indeed to receive those that dare shake a puny human fist at the Living Lord God.  They will wail a very different tune when that terrible day comes soon.

“And he (an angel) saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold (look, and fully understand), I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according as his work shall be.”   (Revelation 22:10-12)

When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, it will be a sorry day for those who made ‘His people’ their song of ridicule and mockery.  We have God’s own Word on this vital matter.

“The Lord at Thy right hand (King Jesus Christ) shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath.  He shall judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries.”  (Psalm 110:5-6)

Verse 12. “And I was the song of the drunkards. The ungodly know no merrier jest that that in which the Name of the Holy is traduced.  The flavour of slander is piquant and gives a relish to the reveller’s wine.  The saints are ever choice subjects for satire…What amazing sin that He Whom seraphs worship with veiled faces should be a scornful proverb among the most abandoned of men!  ‘The by-word of the passing throng, the ruler’s scoff, the drunkard’s song.’”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 301)

Thought: Pray for those deluded worldlings caught up in singing/writing such blasphemies against Christ and His church – that, even at this late stage, they might flee from His most terrible wrath soon to come. (Revelation 22:20)