The most hurtful thing when you sin is when the masses rub it into your wound rather than come alongside you in your repentance.
“For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt” (Ps 69:26).
Worse they make a mockery of your pain.
“When I week and fast, I must endure scorn; when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me. Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards“ (Ps 69:10-12).
And then to add injury to insult, to accuse you of things you did not do.
“Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal” (Ps 69:4).
Additionally you have the concern that others will turn away from the Lord because of what you’ve done when they hear. That those who seek the Lord will carry be ashamed of their worship because of you.
“May those who hop in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel“ (Ps 69:6).
And while we try to convince ourselves that the words and actions of others don’t matter, the reality is that they do and it still hurts.
“Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless” (Ps 69:20).
What one needs in the dark hour of repentance from sin and accusation for things that aren’t even true is comfort, but sometimes those things just aren’t easy to find.
“I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none” (Ps 69:20).
The natural response is for anger to rise up.
“May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever” (Ps 69:22-23).
But there is always the salvation of our Lord.
“I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me” (Ps 69:29).
And then there’s the key moment when we praise the Lord in spite of our misery.
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs” (Ps 69:30-31).
And when we do that it changes our everything.
“you who seek God, may your hearts live!” (Ps 69:32).
