Martin Luther on Psalms 120:6

Verse. 6. My soule hath too long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

Here he sheweth plainly whom he meaneth by Me[illegible: 1 letter]ech & Kedar: Kedar and Mesech signifie the enemies of the church. to wit, those wicked Israelites, which forsaking the wayes of their godly fathers, became spitefull and cruell against the faithfull: amongst whom he was compelled to dwell a long season and to suffer great iniuries and cruelty at their hands. And this is the subteltie of the malignant spirite, that whom he can not ouer come by the multitude and greeuousnes of tentations, those he goeth about to weery with tediousnes & long continuance therof. Wherfore many being unskilful of this spiritual warfare, fight valiantly at the beginning, but in the ende they faynt and cowardly giue ouer. This daunger Dauid did foresee & complained therof. Long haue I dwelt (sayth he) amongest those that hate peace, that is, which continually trouble & disquiete the church of God, and neuer will be at peace with it, thinking by importunitie and long cōtinuance at the length to get the victory. So Iob with one kind of calamity was not discouraged, but whē one messenger followed an other, and one calamitie likewise came vpon an other, then his minde by litle and litle began to be troubled. And this is the malignity and malice of Satan. Wherefore let vs cast away all hope of peace so long as we liue here, and let vs assure our selues, that if this day we ouercome one kinde of tentation, to morrowe Satan will set vpon vs againe with an other.

And here behold the craft and subtelty of the worlde. The holy Ghost calleth them heretikes which are haters of peace and concord, and this name they spitefully apply vnto vs. Thou (say they) art he that troublest Israel. Thus they which trouble the Church in deede, accuse the true Church and call them selues the louers of peace and concord. This must we also suffer, and so content our selues with the testimony of a good cōscience which shall cleare vs before God, that we seeke the peace of the church, wherunto they are vtter enemies, as followeth.