I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
The verse means speaking God's testimonies openly before kings and powerful rulers without shame and with no cause for shame. Such boldness comes from obedience, which brings liberty, for seeking and obeying God's precepts sets the speaker free to declare truth before rulers. God's law is not a yoke of bondage or a severe restriction, and it withholds nothing that is for good, so there is nothing to be ashamed of in keeping His precepts. Shame belongs not to keeping them but to disobeying them.
It is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified child of God to whom the commandments are a delight. That is shown in continually keeping the law, walking at liberty because His precepts are sought, delighting in His commandments and loving them, and speaking His testimonies without shame. That obedient and sanctified heart also keeps God's testimonies and seeks Him with the whole heart, does no iniquity, walks in His ways, lifts up the hands to His commandments, and meditates in His statutes all the day. This stands in contrast to those who pour out bitterness against the law of Jehovah and follow the spirit and leadership of Satan.
In the last days when contempt is placed upon the law of God, the commandment-keeping people take these words as their own song of faith. Their fidelity and loyalty grow with the emergency, and contempt for the law only makes their love for it more decided. They trust in God's word so they have an answer for reproach, hope in His judgments, and keep His law continually forever and ever. In that spirit they walk at liberty, delight in and love His commandments, lift up their hands to them and meditate in His statutes, speak His testimonies openly before kings and are not ashamed, and thus all proclaim the third angel's message with heart and voice.
The verse was fulfilled at Augsburg when the gospel was publicly proclaimed before the emperor and the princes of the empire and Christ was exalted through the Reformers' confession. Luther had been forbidden to appear there, yet he was present by his words and prayers. There the noblest and most powerful princes of the empire stood in the place of the monk of Wittenberg who had stood alone at Worms. It was a glorious assembly of illustrious confessors in an hour of public confession, giving cause for thrilling joy at living to see it. Luther's own humble, peaceful, and courageous stand before the Diet portrays such a witness among the great ones of the earth.
Speaking in this way means upholding and defending the word of God before the rulers of the nation and confessing faith in the gospel freely even when called to seal the testimony with blood. It is done not in own strength and wisdom but after realizing peril and wrestling with God in anguish of spirit. That wrestling is not for personal safety but for the success of the truth, fastening the helpless soul upon Christ the mighty deliverer. Then comes assurance that the Lord of hosts will be present, so the witness does not appear alone before the council, and strengthening with peace and joy for the work.
The verse means speaking God's testimonies openly before kings and powerful rulers without shame and with no cause for shame. Such boldness comes from obedience, which brings liberty, for seeking and obeying God's precepts sets the speaker free to declare truth before rulers. God's law is not a yoke of bondage or a severe restriction, and it withholds nothing that is for good, so there is nothing to be ashamed of in keeping His precepts. Shame belongs not to keeping them but to disobeying them.
It is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified child of God to whom the commandments are a delight. That is shown in continually keeping the law, walking at liberty because His precepts are sought, delighting in His commandments and loving them, and speaking His testimonies without shame. That obedient and sanctified heart also keeps God's testimonies and seeks Him with the whole heart, does no iniquity, walks in His ways, lifts up the hands to His commandments, and meditates in His statutes all the day. This stands in contrast to those who pour out bitterness against the law of Jehovah and follow the spirit and leadership of Satan.
In the last days when contempt is placed upon the law of God, the commandment-keeping people take these words as their own song of faith. Their fidelity and loyalty grow with the emergency, and contempt for the law only makes their love for it more decided. They trust in God's word so they have an answer for reproach, hope in His judgments, and keep His law continually forever and ever. In that spirit they walk at liberty, delight in and love His commandments, lift up their hands to them and meditate in His statutes, speak His testimonies openly before kings and are not ashamed, and thus all proclaim the third angel's message with heart and voice.
The verse was fulfilled at Augsburg when the gospel was publicly proclaimed before the emperor and the princes of the empire and Christ was exalted through the Reformers' confession. Luther had been forbidden to appear there, yet he was present by his words and prayers. There the noblest and most powerful princes of the empire stood in the place of the monk of Wittenberg who had stood alone at Worms. It was a glorious assembly of illustrious confessors in an hour of public confession, giving cause for thrilling joy at living to see it. Luther's own humble, peaceful, and courageous stand before the Diet portrays such a witness among the great ones of the earth.
Speaking in this way means upholding and defending the word of God before the rulers of the nation and confessing faith in the gospel freely even when called to seal the testimony with blood. It is done not in own strength and wisdom but after realizing peril and wrestling with God in anguish of spirit. That wrestling is not for personal safety but for the success of the truth, fastening the helpless soul upon Christ the mighty deliverer. Then comes assurance that the Lord of hosts will be present, so the witness does not appear alone before the council, and strengthening with peace and joy for the work.