Bible Strands
Psalms 119:161
Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart fears only Your word.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly, speaking from a position of ongoing tension between external opposition and internal devotion. The declaration occurs immediately after affirming the eternal truth of divine judgments and just before expressing joy in God’s promises.
The words — The Hebrew שָׂרִים (sarim) denotes officials or rulers, while חִנָּם (chinam) literally means without cause or gratuitously. The phrase פָּחַד לִבִּי (pachad libi) translates to "my heart fears" or stands in dread.
The thread — The tension between hostile human authority and steadfast devotion to divine instruction appears in 1 Samuel 24:9 and 1 Samuel 26:18, where David questions why he is pursued despite lacking guilt. This thematic link to 1 Samuel highlights the recurring reality of unjust opposition faced by the faithful.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to prioritize reverence for divine instruction over intimidation from human power. It demands a deliberate realignment of fear toward God’s word when facing unprovoked hostility.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
ש SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 24:9 and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
- 1 Samuel 26:18 And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
- Psalms 119:157 Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies.
- Isaiah 66:2 Has not My hand made all these things? And so they came into being,” declares the LORD. “This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word.
- Psalms 4:4 Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still. Selah
- Psalms 119:23 Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
- John 15:25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
- Genesis 39:9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
- Job 31:23 For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
- Jeremiah 36:23 And as soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire.