Psalm 69:9
for zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. (NIV)
Today’s Reading: Psalm 69
Psalm 69:9 is quoted by the apostle John in his gospel. It was almost Passover so Jesus went to Jerusalem. As usual, he went to the temple to worship and teach. “In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me’” (John 2:14-17).
The Jewish leaders would question his authority to clear out the temple like that and Jesus gave them the famous line, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Pharisees would use this moment against Jesus during his trial before the Sanhedrin. Two witness would testify that they heard Jesus say this and the Pharisees would correctly interpret that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah by this statement.
The second half of Psalm 69:9 is quoted by Paul in his letter to the Romans. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Rom 15:1-4).
Paul is using the psalm to teach believers to bear with each other. When a believer fails or is struggling, the believers who are strong and doing well should build them up in order to keep the unity. Human nature is to kick someone when they are down. It’s easier to criticize those people and shame them for failing than it is to come alongside them, pick them up and encourage them. But if you truly love someone, that’s what you do.
Although it doesn’t seem like the two parts of Psalm 69:9 go together, I think they do. The psalmist seems to be saying that people are criticizing him because of the zeal he has for God. He is consumed by zeal and when people see his zeal, they turn to criticism and even insult him for it. He goes on to elaborate in verses 10-12. When he fasts he is scorned. When he mourns people make sport of him. He is mocked by the beggars and ridiculed by drunkards.
So I think the teaching of Paul in Romans chapter 15 is correctly aimed at us. Jesus said, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:20). The world will beat us down as well. If we have a zeal for Jesus, the world around us will notice. And when we make mistakes, they will call us hypocrites and insult us. How will we respond? Will we pick each other up or will we join with the world and pile on?
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 15:5-6).
Christ in the Old Testament 
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