Psalm 69 is one of the clearest Messianic Psalms in all of Scripture. Its words rise from the depths of sorrow, yet they also reach forward through time and find perfect fulfillment in the suffering of Jesus Christ. The Psalmist declares in verse 9, “and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” These words foreshadow the heart of Christ, who willingly endured the insults, hatred, and hostility directed at God by taking them upon Himself. His one consuming passion was to accomplish the purpose for which He was sent—to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins. He lived with unwavering determination, knowing the cross was His destiny. He set His face like flint toward Jerusalem. No threat, no temptation, no plea from even His closest friends could deter Him. His life was not governed by comfort or self-preservation but by fervent devotion to the will of God. Psalm 69 captures this with the words, “For zeal for your house has consumed me.”
Zeal—holy passion—has always been a powerful force. In warfare, soldiers sometimes suffer from battle fatigue, a weariness so deep that motivation collapses. It spreads like a quiet infection, draining entire units of strength and resolve. One soldier in the Second World War described this despair by saying it “never leads a life in any direction but to the rear.” Yet history also shows that weary soldiers can be revived by witnessing acts of courage. When they see a comrade press forward through pain, it ignites something within them. Zeal—fervent, determined conviction—has the power to awaken life in others. It inspires. It lifts. It leads forward when everything else says retreat.
Scripture gives us many such examples. In 2 Kings 10, Jehu said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord,” and his passion sparked a national turning back to God. Elijah stood alone against the false prophets on Mount Carmel and declared, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.” His courage set fire to an entire nation’s conscience. Solomon warns in Proverbs 23 that we should not envy sinners but “always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.” Paul echoes this call in Romans 12: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” In every generation, God uses the fire of one person’s devotion to awaken others. Last year, God used Charlie Kirk, and his assassination, to ignite a fire in the hearts of many. Their call was “We are Charlie Kirk.”