Tag: United States

Ecclesiastes-An Overview

The conclusion of the matter that Solomon comes to after he concludes this book is the realization that life is meaningless without God. The book is to convince man of the worthlessness of any world view that takes into account man’s world alone, i.e., how life would be without God. Today we see this throughout Europe, and we see the beginnings in the United States.
We need to pray that our focus returns to God.

See Pastor David’s sermon on Ecclesiastes:  NOTHING EVER CHANGES . . . UNLESS YOU LOVE THE LORD

Psalm 119.105-176

Psalm 119.105-176

נ Nun Verses 105-112

God’s Word gives light, or understanding, to those who read and obey it. Jesus stated that He is the Light of the World. He is the fulfillment of God’s Word. He is the ultimate source of understanding (John 8.12-20). What is your fellowship with Him like? The essence of this section is for us to understand that we are living in increasingly dark times. For those who know Him, they will discern that they walk in dark times and they need His light to guide them.

The lamps in the psalmist days were small lights that lit only the next step or two. To often today, we desire God’s Word to be a bonfire or the sun revealing everything so we can get on with our life. The problem with this is self-evident. If God’s Word revealed all at once, we would be over-whelmed and then we would not rely daily on God and our fellowship with Him.

ס Samek Verses 113-120

In order to pursue what God has called us to, we must not merely dislike evil; we must hate it. However, this is still not enough. A case can be made that people who bomb abortion clinics have an hatred for evil. The man of God also must pursue God’s Word. This will keep us from becoming those who bomb abortion clinics. This is because we know that God would not do this. We need to realize that without God’s Word as our guide and His Holy Spirit sustaining us, we will be no different than those who do that activities we are called to hate. When we walk half in this world and half in God’s world, we are unstable and will fall (1 Corinthians 10.12; James 1.5-8; 2 Peter 3.17–18; and Jude 20–25).

An example of instability today is the thought that we can help people by giving them things, which is the entitlement programs found in today’s government. We believe we are doing the right thing (I don’t), but the result is always disastrous. We believe (I don’t) that doing something, even though it doesn’t end well, is better than doing nothing.

A graphic portrayal of this is found in 1 Kings 18 where Elijah is battling the priests of Baal (see verse 21 for a description of an unstable man).

See our sermon on John 6.16-21 on scrapping dross (DRW, 1998).

ע Ayin Verses 121-128

Only those who choose to obey God’s Word are His servants. They are the only ones who should expect God’s protection from calamitous people. This does not mean they will not suffer but that God’s hand is on them even in their trials. The psalmist prays for God to stand for his well-being. Jesus becomes this guarantee for us according to Hebrews 7.22.

פ Pe Verses 129-136

For what do we weep? Is it that God’s Word goes disobeyed? The only way for this to be our way of life is for us to live in God’s presence, before His face. These tears are for those who are missing the life that each of us were created for in God’s presence.

צ Tsadde Verses 137-144

Again, the only way for us to truly know God’s Word is for us to obey and act on His Word. Compare this section with Romans 7.12.

ק Qoph Verses 145-152

The Hebrew word for cry begins with a qoph. Thus, this section is centered around the word cry. What are your habits of studying God’s Word. Is it in the morning before your day begins? Is it during the night when sleeplessness is your lot. Every opportunity should be taken to understand, know, and love God’s Word. Our prayer life is enhanced by our study life (Acts 6.4 and John 15.7).

ר Resh Verses 153-160

Would man seek God’s truth if God did not call him to seek it? According to this section, no. God’s Word is Truth (John 17.17-19) and no man can know the truth without it being revealed to him by the author of that truth. The word “quicken” or “preserve” means to bring to life. God is just in doing this too. We would rail against Him for forcing us to do that which we had no desire to do. So, He gives us the desire that we desire but will not grant it to those who do not desire it.

ש Shin Verses 161-168

The bane of man should not keep us from praising God who is by far greater. Each time we open God’s Word we should exult in the treasures we find and praise Him for each of them.

ת Tau Verses 169-176

This closing section of Psalm 119 presents us with the only sacrifice we can truly offer God and that is a repentant heart bent on seeking Him.

Psalm 119.89-104

Psalm 119.89-104

ל Lamed Verses 89-96

These verses establish the immutability of God’s Word (c.f., Isaiah 40.8; Matthew 24.35; and 1 Peter 1.25). Nature shows this truth as well. The seeming permanence of heaven mirrors God’s eternal faithfulness, love, and compassion for His creation. Just as the universe works according to His laws (91), so we must work according to His Word. We see, in society, today, what happens when we follow our own moral code instead of God’s. See our discussion on Psalm 72. The psalmist is reminding us of the eternal perfection of God’s established Word and how we fall short of it each time we stray from it.

מ Mem Verses 97-104

The psalmist presents how useful knowing God’s Word is for everyday life. When we obey God’s Word, His wisdom runs through us and our understanding of what life is truly about goes beyond our years, our teachers, and our enemies. We are truly wise. Read my testimony on this subject.

This lifestyle requires discipline and time. However, the results are astounding. How are you doing in knowing and loving God’s Word? You can easily answer this by how well you obey what it says.

Psalm 72

The question for the United States and believers today is “Can we see God’s work in our life as a fulfillment of what Messiah would do?”

Psalm 72

Discussion abounds as to the author of this psalm. Some attribute it to Solomon for it contains proverb-like verses (Spence-Jones, volume II, p 64-65, 2004). Others attribute it to David as a prayer for Solomon stating that Psalm 71 was a prayer of David for David in his old age and Psalm 72 is a prayer of David for Solomon in his early years (Henry, 1996). I will agree with Matthew Henry in that this is a prayer of David for Solomon, using verse 20 as a summation of Psalm 71 and Psalm 72 not as an end to the second book of the psalms. This psalm is considered an indirect messianic psalm in that it points to what a righteous king will accomplish.

Verse 1 sounds like David is praying for Solomon, But, NKJV makes it appear messianic (i.e., verse 7 states “His” not “his”). If David is praying for Solomon, he is indeed praying for his kingdom with messianic overtones for this is the prayer of all regents in Israel.

Verse 2 presents righteousness and justice being the guiding factor not equality of people as the United States does today. Verse 3 presents peace coming through righteousness, which includes justice. This would imply that righteousness produces a prosperous country, not equality. Righteousness and justice, including capital punishment and responsibility for behavior with appropriate consequences, produce hope and a future.

Verses 4, 12, and 14 demand that justice cares for the widow, the poor, and the oppressed resulting in a reverential fear for God (see verses 5, 11, and 13). This is not to be done by the state though, as is currently being pursued by the United States. It is to be pursued by the people of God. If the state occupies what the people are to do, the people will cease to do it, which is exemplified in this generation of people in the United States.

Verse 6 states when we pursue life the way God intended us to and seek to accomplish His work, righteousness will flourish (compare with verse 7). What evidence is there of this in the year 2012?

Verse 8 describes the physical boundaries of the nation of Israel as promised to Abraham (see 1 Kings 4.24).

The question for the United States and believers today is “Can we see God’s work in our life as a fulfillment of what Messiah would do?”

Psalm 119.1-24

Since we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth (1 Peter 2.11), we need a guide for our journey. That Guide is the Holy Spirit who indwells us. He uses His written word to guide us on our journey. When we take our eyes off His Word, we take a turn toward destruction. The importance of studying and knowing the Scripture is overwhelming here. Christianity is not a felt religion, it is a knowing relationship with a God who reveals Himself to us in His Word. Your life reflects your knowledge and application of God’s Word. How are you doing?

Psalm 119.1-24

Aleph (א) verses 1-8

This section presents the key to understanding this particular psalm (all the Bible really). It is to walk in the ways of God. The nature of such a man is found in the actions he takes. He walks in God’s ways, keeps God’s laws, and seeks God’s truth. When Paul tells us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, he is applying what these verses are telling us (2 Corinthians 10.4-6).

When we do this, we are allowing God to work in and through us, which, in turn, allows us to live the life for which He created us. This life is one that is increasingly characterized by the leaving of sin, which produces shame, and the turning to God (2 Timothy 2.22 and 1 John 1.5-2.1, 3.9, and 5.18). To truly live the life God called us to live, we must go from knowledge to practice.

The Word in Life Study Bible (1997) presents this chart for Psalm 119.2:

119:2 THE BENEFITS OF OBEYING THE BIBLE

Psalm 119:2 promises blessings for obeying God’s Word (or “testimonies”) and seeking the Lord with one’s whole heart. The psalm goes on to mention or allude to a number of these benefits:

  • Avoiding sin and pursuing godliness (Ps. 119:3, 11, 36, 102, 133).
  • A motivation and basis for praising God (119:7, 171).
  • A pure lifestyle (119:9).
  • Readjustments in our priorities (119:14, 92) and values (119:16, 20, 37, 48, 72, 103, 111, 127).
  • Insight into our purpose on earth (119:19, 32, 125).
  • Avoiding and learning from God’s rebuke (119:21–22, 67, 71, 75, 118).
  • A basis for evaluating criticism and opposition (119:23, 41–42, 51, 61, 69, 84–88, 98, 161).
  • A source of wisdom and guidance for day-to-day life (119:24, 66, 105, 130, 176).
  • Encouragement, hope, and comfort (119:25, 28, 41, 49–50, 52, 55, 61, 81–83, 114, 166).
  • Something valuable with which to occupy our minds (119:27, 55, 62, 97, 147–148) and conversation (119:46, 164, 172).
  • A basis for truth, honesty, and integrity (119:29–30, 99–100, 104, 163).
  • A sense of freedom (119:45).
  • A source of new songs (119:54).
  • An accurate basis for self-examination (119:59).
  • Fellowship with like-minded believers (119:63, 79).
  • A solid foundation for our faith (119:66, 89–90).
  • Protection and peace (119:114, 165).
  • The ability to discern right from wrong (119:136, 138–139, 158).
  • A motivation and basis for prayer (119:169–170).
  • The Lord’s help (119:173–174).

Which of these are you not experiencing today? This is an area of prayer and discipline for you.

Beth (ב) verses 9-16

When my life is planned around God’s Word, I will live a life that is pleasing and holy to Him (Romans 12.1-2). The sure way to accomplish this is through Scripture memorization that leads to acting upon what is memorized. Remember that memorization is not for the moment but for life. If you truly have memorized a verse or passage that becomes your guide throughout life. You know it. You apply it. You do not forget it.

Gimel (ג) verses 17-24

The study of God’s Word needs to be a regular exercise done on a daily basis. This would include meditation, which is to eat as a cow would chew cud. Chew for a bit, let it digest for a while, chew on it again, let it digest again. Repeat this process throughout the day. When we daily meditate on God’s Word, He brings joy into our life. Read these couplets to see the connection Psalm 119.15-16, 23-24, 47-48, 77-78.

A great verse to pray when beginning any Bible study is verse eighteen. The psalmist implores God, as should we, to open his eyes to the wonderful truths or principles in God’s Word. This is the work of the Holy Spirit and is necessary to understand what God’s Word means and how we can apply it to our lives (Daniel 5.11-14, John 16.13-15).

Since we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth (1 Peter 2.11), we need a guide for our journey. That Guide is the Holy Spirit who indwells us. He uses His written word to guide us on our journey. When we take our eyes off His Word, we take a turn toward destruction. The importance of studying and knowing the Scripture is overwhelming here. Christianity is not a felt religion, it is a knowing relationship with a God who reveals Himself to us in His Word. Your life reflects your knowledge and application of God’s Word. How are you doing?

Psalm 94

Reflect on the state of the United States in light of this psalm. What is next? How long? This psalm is a cold, hard reminder to the truth that it does not matter what you believe if you are not willing to defend it, proclaim, and live it. If we are not willing to do these tasks, how can we say we love Him?

Psalm 94 (Cf. Psalm 73)

This psalm is considered to be written by David as an explanation of the theological issues of Psalm 1 (Read the sermon on Psalm 1). Many have difficulty reading this psalm due to the attributes of God it presents. A. W. Pink writes:

It is sad to find so many professing Christians who appear to regard the wrath of God as something for which they need to make an apology, or at least they wish there were no such thing … Others harbor the delusion that God’s wrath is not consistent with His goodness, and so seek to banish it from their thoughts. … But God is not ashamed to make it known that vengeance and fury belong to Him … The wrath of God is as much a Divine perfection as His faithfulness, power or mercy … The very nature of God makes Hell as real a necessity as Heaven is (The Attributes of God, 1975, p 75).

See our discussions on this subject as seen in Psalm 58 and in Psalm 109.

  • Verses 1-7-David asks the question as to how long God will allow those who practice injustice to continue in their ways. They act as though God does not see what is happening. Worse, they think He does not care about what happens to the widows and the orphans. The answer is in God’s timing. Deuteronomy 32.35 and Romans 12.19 present the case that recompense is God’s prerogative not man’s occupation. With this, God promises to make the wrong right in His timing. An apt description of them is found in Psalm 10. Verse seven presents the unjust rulers as Israelites and not a foreign power. Foreign powers believed their god would be stronger than the God of Israel. The phrase “God of Jacob” would only be found on the lips of the Jewish rulers. This makes the atrocities worse. They knew the right thing to do but refused to do it for sake of gain.
  • Verses 8-11-David answers those who say God does not know, see, or care. He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and just. The logic of verse ten is telling the Israelites who are guilty of these transgressions that God does judge and He will judge them. This is the same argument that Paul uses in Romans 2-3. Listen to our sermons on Romans 2-3.
  • Verses 12-19-David asks, like he asked in 1 Samuel 17, who will arise as the champion to stand in the gap for those oppressed? The world today has need of men like Martin Luther who stated rather somberly: “Here I take my stand; I cannot do otherwise: May God be my help! Amen.” For our society to be restored to any sense of civility, we need people to stand for what they know is true. David shows that our sense of whom God is determines our desire to stand for Him and what He values. Have we lost the sense of the reality of our God? Do we believe as did David, and Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.9-10, that when we are weak He becomes our strength? Or do we attempt to stand for Him in our own might. Paul had something to say on this subject too. Read 1 Corinthians 16.13, Ephesians 6.10-20, Philippians 4.1-9, 1 Thessalonians 3.6-8, 2 Thessalonians 2.13-15, and 1 Peter 5.12. In these passages Paul and Peter command us to stand firm in the Lord, in our faith, in His Word, not in ourselves.

As we grow older, life does not come easier except that our faith in God grows through our Bible studies, our prayers, our memorizing His Word, and our fellowship with Him and others. This is what John was describing throughout the book of 1 John and specifically in 1 John 1.1-4 and 1 John 2.12-14.

These verses show us eight blessings for following God:

  1. God disciplines
  2. God instructs
  3. God develops faith over time
  4. God will never forsake His own
  5. God judges with righteousness
  6. God helps defend His own against evil
  7. God upholds when His own are in danger of falling
  8. God comforts the soul of those who are His
  • Verses 20-23-God tells us there is no fellowship between light and darkness in 1 Corinthians 6.14-16. Here, David, reminds us of this same truth. God cannot have fellowship with evil. God is the one who will expose the unrighteous deeds of those outside of Him. We are to let our light so shine before men that they have to proclaim the goodness of God, which is what Jesus taught us in Matthew 5.13-16. Look closely at verse 21. Does this sound like the abortion laws coming into full effect? Who will stand up for what is right? Not violently, for vengeance is the Lord’s, but in votes, in teachings, in practice?

I normally do not place large quotes from commentaries in my writings, yet this is the second one in this post. This quote is taken from Word in Life Study Bible (1997):

Have you ever felt frustrated by problems in society that just seem to go on and on? Perhaps you’ve lamented, “Why doesn’t someone do something? Why don’t things ever change?”

The composer of Psalm 94 appears to have felt that way. Looking around at the injustices of society, the writer cried out to God, the righteous Judge, to do something, yet also wondered how long wickedness would continue (Ps. 94:1–3). This psalmist’s frustration compares with an urban pastor who appeared in housing court one day, where many of his poor parishioners were having their cases decided. The minister sat for hours, witnessing one case after another. In every verdict, the judge was siding with the rich and powerful, even when the facts seemed to overwhelmingly favor the poor.

Finally the pastor could take no more of what he saw as blatant injustice. Shaking with outrage, he leaped to his feet and cried, “Your Honor, if it please the court, I have a question.”

The judge stopped his proceedings and acknowledged the pastor. “Yes, Reverend, what is it?”

“Your Honor, I’ve been watching all day long as case after case after case has gone against these poor people. Where is the justice in this court?”

Immediately the judge replied, “Reverend, you don’t understand. This is not a court of justice. This is a court of law. If you want justice, go change the law.”

The judge’s point is well taken. When evil triumphs in society, or when justice is not served, it could be the result of an imperfect system or institution “which devises evil by law” (94:20). In such cases, things will change if the righteous engage in reforming the system, with God’s help.

Sometimes the real question is not Why don’t things change? but Why don’t believers change things?

Reflect on the state of the United States in light of this psalm. What is next? How long? This psalm is a cold, hard reminder to the truth that it does not matter what you believe if you are not willing to defend it, proclaim, and live it. If we are not willing to do these tasks, how can we say we love Him?

2 Samuel 24

When all has been read and discussed, we should consider how we walk as individuals, as a church body, and as a nation. If God brings discipline for syncretism, then how far are we away from His thundering velvet hand bringing discipline?

2 Samuel 24 (Cf. 1 Chronicles 21)

David takes a census of his troops. The entirety of the story is not evident unless 1 Chronicles is read with it. David has a desire to take a census. There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself. Comparing these two chapters has caused some difficulties for many due to the players listed behind the census. Some have compared these chapters and had to conclude that David took two censuses, one at the beginning of his career (2 Samuel) and one at the end of his career (1 Chronicles). The former has the census being taken between 2 Samuel 5 and 2 Samuel 6. The latter taking place before David died and the kingdom was transferred to Solomon. However, a cursory reading of the book of Job allows for the activity to be attributed to God (2 Samuel) and to Satan (1 Chronicles) with the ultimate responsibility bearing down on David. The only activities that Satan can be involved in are the activities that in which God allows him to be involved. Satan can tempt, only as God allows him. Although Satan is behind this, David is at fault for completing the activity. In all things God has the purpose of bringing glory to His name. If God is glorified then the greatest good and benefit have occurred. If it is anything less than glory to His name, then it falls short of the standard of God (which is always best and greatest).

In this account we have three sections to consider.

  • Verses 1-9-God is angry over something in Israel. It isn’t David but Israel with whom God is displeased. Could this be over a decline of worshiping the true God? Could it be syncretism? God allows the thought to be placed into David’s mind of taking a census. His commander, Joab, who will attempt to dispose of David in a few chapters, sees this is even a bad idea. David follows through with the plan. After nine months and twenty days of counting, David finds he has, rounded, 1,200,000 military men at his disposal. This number is different from the one given in 1 Chronicles, which we will deal with that when we get to 1 Chronicles 21. This number would bring the general population around 6,000,000 people (an estimate on my part). Some have taken the opportunity of stating the nine months of labor produced sin on David’s part.
  • Verses 10-17-David realized that he had sinned in taking the census. God sent another prophet to David; this time it is Gad. He informs David that God will judge Israel because of the sin of David but, we need to remember, it was His plan to use this to judge Israel for walking away from Him and keeping their idols. God allowed David to choose the discipline: three years of famine, three months of David fleeing, or three days of pestilence. Ultimately the discipline of three days was given. David’s repentance was complete. David asked a bewildering question which signified that he had not fully grasped all that God was doing. He recognized his sin but called the people innocent lambs. It is their sin that initiated the process of discipline. They needed to repent even as David repented.
  • Verses 18-25-David is told to build an altar “on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” He does so. This will be the place that Solomon will build the Temple (2 Chronicles 3.1). God was able to take the two great sins of David, adultery with Bathsheba and the census, and produce the Temple. Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, built the Temple on the threshing floor David purchased to make restitution for the census.

When all has been read and discussed, we should consider how we walk as individuals, as a church body, and as a nation. If God brings discipline for syncretism, then how far are we away from His thundering velvet hand bringing discipline?

Psalm 42

God desires you to be in His presence with great joy more than you can imagine. How great is your desire to be in His presence? He gave His Son in order for you to go there? What have you forsaken for Him to be there?

Psalm 42

The inscription of this psalm leads us to believe it was written by the family of the Korahites unless it is read that it was written for the family of the Korahites to play during worship service. If the latter are valid, then David wrote this on his retreat from Jerusalem during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 15-19). If the former is valid, then it was written during the exile by a Korahite longing for Jerusalem. I prefer Davidic authorship due to the style and geographic locations mentioned in verse five. Whichever author is chosen, it reflects a genuine heart desire to be with God in the Temple/Tabernacle. If this were the heart attitude of Christians today, the world would be a much different place. The oddity for Christians is that we don’t have to go to the church to spend time with God, He indwells us. We are the temple of God. However, for true fellowship to occur we need to publicly worship Him as part of our growth toward Christlikeness (Hebrews 10.24-25).

This psalm and Psalm 43 (see our study) have a connection and many have placed them together as one psalm. The Septuagint combines them into one psalm. Each psalm has the same refrain and the same ending. However, if Psalm 43 was written during the Babylonian Captivity, it could have been inspired by Psalm 42. Psalm 43 and Psalm 71 are the only psalms in this section of the Psalms without an inscription (see studies on Psalm 9 and Psalm 10).

  • Verses 1-3-David realizes that his life is in God. Without the ability to enter into the presence of God in the Tabernacle, his life was devalued, depressing. What is your heart attitude about being in God’s presence? As mentioned above, the only place we need to go to be with God is nowhere for He indwells us. This is Jesus discussion with the woman at the well in John 4.15-26. We only need to be in right relationship with Him (His child) and in right fellowship with Him (confession of sins) in order to be in His presence. Do you long for God more than for the sins of this world? This is the essence of the book of 1 John.
  • Verses 4-8-David poetically presents his state without God’s presence in it (again, return to our discussion of Psalm 43 for thoughts on verse five). He misses the fellowship he had in Jerusalem with fellow followers of God and longs to see them and publically worship with them.
  • Verses 9-10-David laments over his current situation asking God to deliver him not only for the sake of David but for the sake of God. Do you see your relationship with God as a public demonstration of whom God is? When people see you, they see a representation of God. Your words and actions either tell His greatness or belie who He is. How do people see you when they ask “Where is your God?”
  • Verse 11-The ending of Psalm 43 is identical to this psalm. Our hope is not in others nor in things. It is solely in God.

God desires you to be in His presence with great joy more than you can imagine. How great is your desire to be in His presence? He gave His Son in order for you to go there? What have you forsaken for Him to be there?

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Psalm 53

God does look down from His throne and has come down in Christ. He came for salvation and He will come for judgement. If you have not accepted the first, you are in danger of the second. Where do you stand today?

Psalm 53

This psalm and Psalm 14 (see our study) are almost identical in the English. The Hebrew uses a different name for God. Psalm 14 uses Jehovah (יְֽהוָה) three times and Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) four times. Psalm 53 uses Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) each of the seven times it refers to God. However, this change does not occur in verse one or verse five. Verse one of both psalms contain Elohim (אֱלֹהִים). I believe this occurs because the fool says there is absolutely no god (Elohim [אֱלֹהִים])which would include the God of Israel (Jehovah [יְֽהוָה]). The major change is in Psalm 53.5. Compare it to Psalm 14.5-6. This could have been intentional for the purpose set forth in the occasion of the psalm.

This psalm can be a reflection of the state of our country in this generation. This psalm describes trying to rule without God and without His standards for life.

There are four types of people mentioned in this psalm who live a life that denies the reality of God. They are the foolish person who flatly denies there is even a possibility of a god (1), the lazy person who does not take the effort to know God (2), the person who pursues his own desires, he is called perverse (3), and the person who lives life as if there is no consequence for action, they devour all in their path (4). I see this as our society today. God’s judgement is cast. For those who choose to live a life as if there were no God, he will be put to shame (5). For those who choose to live the life God created for them to live, He brings blessings (6).

Genesis 6.5 describes the wickedness of people before the Flood. The word used to describe them is the same word used here, which is corrupt (1).

Psalm 53.2 tells us that God looks down. This is an interesting phrase and occurs elsewhere in the Scriptures. Here is a listing from the Psalms:

God does look down from His throne and has come down in Christ. He came for salvation and He will come for judgement. If you have not accepted the first, you are in danger of the second. Where do you stand today?

Psalm 36

Jeremiah 17.9 reminds us of what this psalm states. By nature, we are wicked. To the core of our heart, we are wicked. Our names could be placed at the beginning of this psalm. It is only because of God who is mentioned in verses 5-9 that we can have a clean heart, a new heart; that is only found in Jesus. Are you standing against the wicked (4) or are you walking beside them (Psalm 1)? Is your life lived partly for God and partly for you in this world? Are you living a life of syncretism?

Psalm 36

This psalm is clearly a psalm of contrasts much like Psalm 1. It contrasts the rebelliousness of the wicked man (1-4) with the righteousness of God (5-9) and concludes with a prayer of protection for the righteous (10-12). The superscription of “the servant of Jehovah” provides a similarity to Psalm 18. The subject matter reminds us of Psalm 14 and Psalm 53.

Verses 1-4-The style is rough in the Hebrew as David describes the life of the wicked man. The progression from disavowing God to practical atheism is brought on by the deceit of man and the teachings of deceitful mankind. These result in belief in self and blindness to moral issues where in the self becomes a god and there are no moral bounds. What is true for you may not be true for them; we call this moral relativism. When we examine the world, our world, the United States, we see this as having already occurred and Christians stand in its wake. This psalm is for us.

These verses show the attitude of those who deny God. They believe they will not be found out and if they are they will not be judged for it. Think of those the world celebrates, they commit crimes and believe they can walk off without being judged merely because of their name or position they hold. As an example, a recent President committed atrocities in the White House, was impeached, and then let go primarily because he was helping the economy.

The very first word in Hebrew (לַמְנַצֵּחַ) is not even translated in many versions. It means an oracle that is prophetic, coming from God, and it is associated with “the transgression” (נְאֻֽם־פֶּשַׁע). This would mean that God gave to David an insight into the very nature of the wicked, those in rebellion against God. And, that is the denial of the existence of the God who also reveals His very nature in verses 5-9. When describing those who base their righteousness on what they do, Paul quotes Psalm 36.1 in Romans 3.18. The person who walks away from God is described in Micah 2.1 as one who cannot sleep until he has devised a wrong and when he awakens he completes the thought with action. There will come a time when those who walk away from God will be incapable of doing anything of value in God’s sight (Jeremiah 4.22 and Romans 1.18-3.31). This is primarily because the wicked do not think that what they are doing is wrong. Abortion is an example of these verses being played out in the United States.

Verse four invites us to do the opposite of what the evil do. They do not reject evil. We need to actively reject the evil that the world, the devil, and we present to ourselves (1 John 2.15-17).

Verses 5-9-The style is lyrical when it comes to describe God (John 8.12 tells us this is speaking of Jesus). When it comes to knowing who God is, we need to rely on His revelation of Himself in His Word (Romans 11.33). Otherwise, we might mistake ourselves for Him. Part of the revealing God does becomes a revelation of our nature as well (as seen in the first four verses). The more aware we are of Him, who is light (John 1.4-5, 9), the greater we know our darkness (1 John 1.5-7). This is where repentance comes in (1 John 1.9). God blesses those who seek to know Him (9). He does not merely bless them with a place to go but with a life to live. Knowing Him goes far beyond what our imaginations can capture (Ephesians 3.20-21). It is not merely having a source of water for refreshment (Jeremiah 2.13), it is a fountain pouring forth. It is abundant life (John 10.10)

Verses 10-12-David’s prayer is for God to protect the righteous from the wicked. In God’s presence is protection (12). The wicked cannot stand before Him (see Psalm 18). David was given a revelation of the wicked, of God, and, here, a glimpse of the horror of judgment on the wicked (Proverbs 24.16). There will be a place, “there,” where the wicked will not stand (the Judgment Day).

Jeremiah 17.9 reminds us of what this psalm states. By nature, we are wicked. To the core of our heart, we are wicked. Our names could be placed at the beginning of this psalm. It is only because of God who is mentioned in verses 5-9 that we can have a clean heart, a new heart; that is only found in Jesus. Are you standing against the wicked (4) or are you walking beside them (Psalm 1)? Is your life lived partly for God and partly for you in this world? Are you living a life of syncretism?