Psalms 119:161 (KJV)

Passage

Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Nearby Context

Psalms 119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

Psalms 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Psalms 119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Psalms 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

Psalms 119:163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "princes", "persecuted", "without", "cause", "heart", "standeth", and "word". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "princes" and "persecuted", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 160's "Thy word is true from the beginning..." into verse 162's "I rejoice at thy word as one...", so "princes" and "persecuted" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "princes" and "persecuted" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.