Psalms 31:11-13

‘Because of all my adversaries I am become a reproach,

Yes, to my neighbours exceedingly,

And a fear to my acquaintance.

Those who saw me out of doors fled from me.

I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind,

I am like a broken vessel.

For I have heard the defaming of many,

Terror on every side,

While they took counsel together against me,

They devised to take away my life.

And this adversity is not only in the privacy of his own soul, but also involves the behaviour of others towards him. As a result of the activity of his adversaries he has become an especial reproach to those who are close to him, while even his acquaintances are afraid to be seen as connected with him and flee from him when he walks around in the open. He has become a marked man so that to be seen as acquainted with him is to risk having to suffer along with him. This is the common experience of Christians in some countries today, and has always been so.

He then describes himself in terms of being totally forgotten like someone who has died, and as being like a useless vessel that has been smashed and tossed away. Men no longer see him as having any significance, or want to have any dealings with him. Indeed many are defaming him, there is fear on every side, and there are even those who are taking counsel to put him to death, and are trying to think of ways of bringing it about.

We are reminded here of how true this was of Jesus. Disparaged, defamed on every side, deserted by disciples, and plotted against by the rulers of the people, He might well have thought in terms of this Psalm.