Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked

 Psalm 140:1–13 (ESV):  

1  Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; 

preserve me from violent men, 

 2  who plan evil things in their heart 

and stir up wars continually. 

 3  They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, 

and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah 

 4  Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; 

preserve me from violent men, 

who have planned to trip up my feet. 

 5  The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, 

and with cords they have spread a net; 

beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah 

 6  I say to the Lord, You are my God; 

give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! 

 7  O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, 

you have covered my head in the day of battle. 

 8  Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; 

do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah 

 9  As for the head of those who surround me, 

let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 

 10  Let burning coals fall upon them! 

Let them be cast into fire, 

into miry pits, no more to rise! 

 11  Let not the slanderer be established in the land; 

let evil hunt down the violent man speedily! 

 12  I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, 

and will execute justice for the needy. 

 13  Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; 

the upright shall dwell in your presence. 

Evil people plan your demise. They may not seem wicked, in fact they may be friends walking right next to you, planning to trip you up, hiding traps, snares and nets for you to get entangled in. For how can someone you don’t know be so well acquainted with your paths and ways? Some of the people you are living life with may turn out to be arrogant, violent and wicked. Yet do not concern yourself, or get worried or overwhelmed by this. For you have The Lord your God on your side. Look at David, Isaiah, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus and Stephen as examples - they were well known for being men of God. Through their lives they suffered and were persecuted, often by people they knew. Yet that did not stop them! Instead of giving into fear and turning away from what God had called them to, they turned to God in their discomfort and desperation. 

In this psalm David recounts his concerns about the ways the wicked are trying to get him. He calls out to God saying, ‘You are my God….my Lord, the strength of my salvation….Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked’. When you see wickedness, when you hear of the plots of evil and see unholiness, recognise it for what it is, do not be afraid to name it and appeal to God to stop it. Righteousness and wickedness hate each other. This means men and women will battle against the will of God, even unknowingly, because it causes them discomfort in their wicked ways, and so they seek to end it. When you see this, do as David did and implore God to not let evil prevail. Then remember that He is ‘the strength of my salvation’. You can depend upon God to bring salvation to His people, to end evil and to be your strength. You will suffer, yet, you can also be assured that God has a purpose and salvation in mind through what is happening.

Followed by David’s outpouring of fury and pain, he concludes his prayer in confidence saying ‘Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name’ because God ‘will execute justice’. When you know who God is and what His character is like, you can rest in confidence even when surrounded by enemies, persecuted, trapped and hunted. In the end, God’s people will have reason to worship as God ‘will execute justice’. There will be nothing anyone can do about it, God will not be held back, He WILL have His way. So you can be confident that anything and anyone that comes against Him will be dealt with. So, bring your concerns and fears to God, your emotional response to whatever is going on, and remember just who God is. learn to depend upon His mercy, strength and judgement. Be sure to acknowledge that God is in charge even when wickedness seems to be winning. God is your salvation, your hope, the bringer of justice, He will ‘maintain the cause of the afflicted’, and He will prove, once again, that He is worthy of praise. The day will come when the suffering stops, evil exists no more, and wickedness wanes. You can guarantee that because God reigns. 

The Lord is righteous!

Psalm 129:1–8 (ESV):  

1  “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”— 

let Israel now say— 

 2  “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, 

yet they have not prevailed against me. 

 3  The plowers plowed upon my back; 

they made long their furrows.” 

 4  The Lord is righteous; 

he has cut the cords of the wicked. 

 5  May all who hate Zion 

be put to shame and turned backward! 

 6  Let them be like the grass on the housetops, 

which withers before it grows up, 

 7  with which the reaper does not fill his hand 

nor the binder of sheaves his arms, 

 8  nor do those who pass by say, 

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you! 

We bless you in the name of the Lord!” 

It is not unusual for the people of God to suffer. Israel, even from the conception of the nation can rightly say, ‘Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth’. Israel has always had enemies. As the favoured people of God, ungodly people have railed against them. Consider all that this nation has gone through. They have wandered, been to war, exiled more than once, been ransacked, derided, and invaded. They have known what it is like to be; refugees and captives, winners and losers, in the favour, and displeasure of God. So they are right to say that through every generation, they have been greatly afflicted. Even to the point that, ‘the plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows’. What a piece of imagery of the pain and persecution that Israel have undergone. Even though they have experienced this level of intense suffering from the hands of enemies, Israel can say ‘they have not prevailed against me’. That is powerful. The whole nation of Israel can honestly say that they have been persecuted and experienced excruciating physical, spiritual and emotional pain, yet the enemy has never won. Why? Because ‘The Lord is righteous’! 

The people of God once only the people of Israel, now known as the church, will experience great suffering, pain and persecution. Nothing has changed, the people of God have ungodly enemies so they will suffer. Yet they can also say, although we have been greatly afflicted the enemy has not and will not prevail! Why? Because the Lord is still righteous! 

The survival of God’s people and their growth has very little to do with the people themselves. It has everything to do with the favour and righteousness of God. God will always do what is right and ‘he has cut the cords of the wicked’. Evil has no ultimate power as Jesus put sin to death, therefore ‘the cords of the wicked’ have been severed. There is an end to the pain and suffering for God’s people,  so you can carry the hope of the promise that all wickedness shall cease, because ‘The Lord is righteous’. He will make sure that good will reign. 

The evil that seeks to undo the people of God will wither like grass on the rooftop (v6). It has no real influence, power, or longevity, even when evil plows deep furrows into your back in an attempt to break you. The enemy is seeking to prevail, but He has already been cut off and is withering! The people of God throughout all history have been persecuted, yet the enemy has not yet prevailed! Instead, the church has spread far and wide and the gospel has been demonstrated and declared in many places across the globe. The people of God have increased, not decreased despite the plans of the wicked, why? Because ‘The Lord is righteous’!

What do you do when wickedness seems to be winning?

Psalm 94:1–23 (ESV): 

O Lord, God of vengeance, 

O God of vengeance, shine forth! 

 2  Rise up, O judge of the earth; 

repay to the proud what they deserve! 

 3  O Lord, how long shall the wicked, 

how long shall the wicked exult? 

 4  They pour out their arrogant words; 

all the evildoers boast. 

 5  They crush your people, O Lord, 

and afflict your heritage. 

 6  They kill the widow and the sojourner, 

and murder the fatherless; 

 7  and they say, “The Lord does not see; 

the God of Jacob does not perceive.” 

 8  Understand, O dullest of the people! 

Fools, when will you be wise? 

 9  He who planted the ear, does he not hear? 

  He who formed the eye, does he not see? 

 10  He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? 

  He who teaches man knowledge— 

 11  the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, 

that they are but a breath. 

 12  Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, 

and whom you teach out of your law, 

 13  to give him rest from days of trouble, 

until a pit is dug for the wicked. 

 14  For the Lord will not forsake his people; 

he will not abandon his heritage; 

 15  for justice will return to the righteous, 

and all the upright in heart will follow it. 

 16  Who rises up for me against the wicked? 

Who stands up for me against evildoers? 

 17  If the Lord had not been my help, 

my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 

 18  When I thought, “My foot slips,” 

your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. 

 19  When the cares of my heart are many, 

your consolations cheer my soul. 

 20  Can wicked rulers be allied with you, 

those who frame injustice by statute? 

 21  They band together against the life of the righteous 

and condemn the innocent to death. 

 22  But the Lord has become my stronghold, 

and my God the rock of my refuge. 

 23  He will bring back on them their iniquity 

and wipe them out for their wickedness; 

the Lord our God will wipe them out. 

Do you ever ask God to destroy the wicked? You can, it is allowed. Many of the psalms ask for God to destroy the proud, the wicked, end evildoers. Not for no reason though, nor just for their own relief, but so that God’s people and His kingdom benefit. The psalmists are concerned not only with their own situation, but also for God’s reputation and the welfare of His people. So when you pray for evil to end - what is your reason? Is it just so that things are better for you? If you pray for evil to end because you wish to stop suffering that is too narrow-minded. God’s vision is beyond your own life and circumstances, His vision is wider and further, and so should yours be.

Instead of just asking God for vengeance or judgement on a person or situation because they bother you, let God hear your concern for the widespread problems of wickedness. The oppression of those God cares about like the widows, strangers, fatherless, His people. Tell God what you see and why it is not ok. Sure, tell Him your experience too and how tough it has been on you, but don’t limit your vision of what God can do. He can work on a much bigger scale than you expect, He has the future of a whole kingdom that He is concerned about.

If you are oppressed by wickedness in the workplace, then consider who else is affected. Petition God for them too, ask Him to see and hear and make Himself known in the whole of the workplace, for His kingdom to come there - imagine how many people would be impacted by the love, mercy and justice of God then! The same is true for any area of life you are seeing evil influence. Whether it be in your family, community, country, friendship group or neighbourhood. Pray and rely on God for the solution. 

In times when wickedness seems to reign there is often little that you can do to change the circumstances. You do not have to fix it. Often you cannot as it is a spiritual battle. So the most powerful weapons are prayer, dependence on God and love. You do not need to be the one that is trying to resolve things in your own strength, plotting and scheming the downfall of the wicked or digging the pit for the evildoers to fall into. Let God lead. ‘For justice will return to the righteous and all the upright in heart will follow it’. God is responsible for justice, you are responsible for remaining 'upright'. So make sure you are doing your part. Pray and pursue righteousness in the way you are living your life, even when you are encountering trouble and wickedness. Otherwise when God comes to judge wickedness, will He need to pour out His judgement on you too? 

When you feel overwhelmed, upset or angry, allow the thoughts of who God is for eternity comfort your soul, ‘When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.’ Consider God when you are afraid, worried, concerned, when you are facing a battle or seeing persecution. Approach God, and allow the truth of who He is and what He is capable of bring you comfort. Remember what God has said, and allow His words cheer you up. For His Word is everlasting and always true. Allow Him to take care of your heart, and trust Him with the hearts of those around you. Difficulties are an opportunity for your faith to be displayed. This involves being less dependent on yourself, less swayed by emotions and more invested in your relationship with God. He can become your stronghold and rock of refuge (v22), whilst also cheering your soul and taking care of your heart (v19). God sees and hears it all and, ‘the Lord will not forsake his people’. Trust Him. Not just for your protection, salvation and comfort, but trust that, ‘the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.’

Keep praying, Keep believing. Keep being upright.

Stupid Thoughts

 Psalm 92:1–15 (ESV):  

1  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, 

to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 

 2  to declare your steadfast love in the morning, 

and your faithfulness by night, 

 3  to the music of the lute and the harp, 

to the melody of the lyre. 

 4  For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; 

at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 

 5  How great are your works, O Lord! 

Your thoughts are very deep! 

 6  The stupid man cannot know; 

the fool cannot understand this: 

 7  that though the wicked sprout like grass 

and all evildoers flourish, 

  they are doomed to destruction forever; 

 8  but you, O Lord, are on high forever. 

 9  For behold, your enemies, O Lord, 

for behold, your enemies shall perish; 

all evildoers shall be scattered. 

 10  But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; 

you have poured over me fresh oil. 

 11  My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; 

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. 

 12  The righteous flourish like the palm tree 

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 

 13  They are planted in the house of the Lord; 

they flourish in the courts of our God. 

 14  They still bear fruit in old age; 

they are ever full of sap and green, 

 15  to declare that the Lord is upright; 

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 

Do you have stupid thoughts? Do you ever believe that the wickedness in the world is going to prevail? If so, this is a stupid thought (v6-7). ‘Though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish; they are doomed to destruction forever’! ‘But you, O Lord, are on high forever’. Notice how both of these verses talk about ‘forever’. There is an assurance for the wicked and for God for eternity. Both will last forever, but there is a difference in their eternal destiny.

God is inviting you to have a longer viewpoint. Instead of worrying about the evil that is around and what is going on in the here and now, consider what will be forever. The present is only relevant for this moment, tomorrow it is history. In the here and now evil exists and there are people that perform wicked deeds. Yet the promise for eternity is that God’s ‘enemies shall perish, all evildoers shall be scattered’ and ‘the righteous flourish like the palm tree’. This is the long view, this is what you should focus on. The things that are evil are, ‘doomed to destruction forever’. They have eternal death as their promise. So, ultimately they will not prevail, therefore do not waste time concerning yourself about such things. Instead consider God who is on high and will be forever. 

When you fix your eyes on God, give your life to Him and follow Him you will, ‘flourish like the palm tree’. That sentence at first confused me for i did not understand the sentiment. Then i considered and researched and discovered that palm trees can grow in difficult conditions. Surviving droughts, storms and floods because of their root system. In fact, in a storm even if they are bent over horizontally by high winds, looking deformed and destroyed, they straighten up afterwards and can grow stronger roots as a result. This makes the palm tree more stable after a storm than it was before it! So, think of yourself as that flourishing palm tree, ‘planted in the house of the Lord’. Storms may feel like they are destoying you, but you'll straighten up again, you will be upright and have deeper roots if you weather the storm ‘planted in the house of the Lord'. So rather than concerning yourself with the wickedness of the world, focus on living with God; being righteous, stable, growing strong and fruitful. Knowing that even in the troubles of life that knock you sideways, when you stick to God, you will become stronger and straighter in the long run. For God says you will ‘flourish’. You will not be destroyed when you depend on Him, instead you have the promise of fruitfulness and favour for eternity. 

Consider then what you allow your mind to dwell upon. Are your thoughts sometimes stupid? Do you allow worry to consume you or concern yourself with the news and wickedness? For, 'The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand'. If you insist on focussing on what is temporal rather than what is eternal, you will be stuck. Your progression will be limited as your view is too short, it is in the here and now and God is wanting you to play the long game. Think about someone who knows they have exams in a few months time. They could think that it's too far away to concern themselves with it today. Instead they eat, drink, have fun, go out, giving no thought to what is coming up as it is in the future. How are they going to fare in exam season? What about if they chose to revise now, to practice, look at exam papers, research and prepare for the day they know is coming. Although it may seem far off and other people are not doing the same kind of preparation, how would you expect their exams to go? How about you? Are you thinking about the long game of faith? Are your thoughts overrun by the knowledge that God exists and is righteous, good and on High, or do thoughts about the reign of evil darken your mind? Set your mind to consider the long game. You get to decide what you think about, so don't entertain stupid thoughts. Remind yourself that no matter what is going on now,  evil won’t last for it is ‘doomed to destruction forever', ' but you, O Lord, are on high forever'.

So set your mind to have the long view - evil loses and righteousness wins, forever. You will never understand God or His ways. He has greater insight and foresight than anyone because He sees the eternal perspective not only the present. He was there at the beginning, has been all the way through and will continue to be and He has known what He is doing all that time. He planned for there to be an Adam and Eve, Noah, Josiah, Hosea, Ruth, Isaiah and Jesus. He saw all they would face and the eternal impact of their obedience. He has the same knowledge and understanding for your life. Your life has impact beyond your years, so learn to trust in Him and follow Him even when life gets tough and confusing. God sees the storms as opportunities for you to be strengthened, your relationship with Him deepened and your life to display fruit. Keep your focus on Him, not on the storm. For God is good, He is intelligent, He has a plan and a purpose and sees the end goal. You do not. Therefore give up the stupid thoughts and lean into God and His understanding. The storms of life will then make you taller, straighter and stronger, forever.

the inward mind and heart of a man are deep

 Psalm 64:1–10 (ESV):  

1  Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; 

preserve my life from dread of the enemy. 

2  Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, 

from the throng of evildoers, 

3  who whet their tongues like swords, 

who aim bitter words like arrows, 

4  shooting from ambush at the blameless, 

shooting at him suddenly and without fear. 

5  They hold fast to their evil purpose; 

they talk of laying snares secretly, 

thinking, “Who can see them?” 

6  They search out injustice, 

saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.” 

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep. 

7  But God shoots his arrow at them; 

they are wounded suddenly. 

8  They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; 

all who see them will wag their heads. 

9  Then all mankind fears; 

they tell what God has brought about 

and ponder what he has done. 

10  Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord 

and take refuge in him! 

Let all the upright in heart exult! 

Words can easily entangle and lead us down a path we never really intended on going down. This psalm can remind us how the words of deception, rumours and lies spread, and build into becoming swords, arrows and snares. The little quips and comments grow to transform people into enemies, this is what happened to David. It is bad enough having one person lying about you, saying horrible things and plotting against you, but David had a ‘throng of evildoers’ against him. How did that happen? These enemies and their schemes all started somewhere. There was one moment when something was done or said that has taken over and spiralled. One disagreement, angry word, disappointment, error, jealousy or miscommunication has led to people becoming disgruntled, conniving enemies. It may not even have been anything to do with what David has done or said. People can become our enemies for many reasons. Yet, just because someone is railing against you, doesn’t mean you should do the same. David recognised this. It is important, even when people are horrible to you, to deal with them well - To live above reproach. David did not; shout things back, sneak around after them, try to catch them out or even confront and fight them. He could have done - he was a powerful, mighty king! Even though he could have fought, and won, he did not take matters into his own hands. He could have permanently got rid of these troublesome, lying, deceitful, wicked plotters who attacked him. Instead, David preferred God's way. He talked to God about it and trusted in His eventual salvation, knowing that God’s way is better. David did not repay evil for evil, but he patiently waited for God to start shooting His arrows instead of shooting his own. For David knew that God would transform the situation and cause these enemies to be on the run and descend into ruin because they are attacking God’s man. God preserves and fights for those who love Him, so David was assured that he would not only be rescued by God from this situation, but that it would also be for the benefit other believers too. As they would see God come through and rejoice! (V10). What is your response when people behave like enemies towards you?

It is important as mentioned above, to ensure that you are living above reproach in every circumstance. To make sure that even if people treat you badly, you do not do the same to them. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:39, "I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”. Jesus' advice - Do not try to squash the behaviour of those acting badly, but let them do it! By that you are showing love and mercy like God does to us. Do not allow yourself to retaliate or become angry, for that is not godliness and you will just end up behaving the same way as those against you and become wicked yourself. Consider the disciples in the book of Acts, they undergo terrible treatment, but do not react in their own strength. They endure torture and imprisonment and glorify and trust in God through it. They did not retaliate, fight or argue back. Instead they imitated their saviour in their loving and merciful responses to those who became their enemies. They are great examples of living a painful, but dedicated life to God. They lived their life fully for Him and that meant they didn’t always behave in the way they wanted to. The disciples understood that Jesus had shown that the battle is not really theirs, that even the enemies are not fighting you, but the godliness that is within. They also realised that any argument or physical fight is not going to change the heart or mindset of the wicked. Only the love and mercy of God can do that. Do you allow this to be the case when you have enemies? Or do you roll your sleeves up ready for a fight?

David also gives us an insight in this psalm that people have many reasons for doing things as, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. David has realised that all people have; fears, hurts, joys and hopes which combine to influence their behaviour. David recognises that there are many reasons why someone will act in a certain way because they are ‘deep’. Some get carried away, follow others, respond out of heartache, try to provide security - there are many explanations of why people behave as they do because we are complex creatures. Friends and enemies have reasons to be such, and predominantly it is not because of you. It is because of the deep things that are going on inside of them. The behaviour and decisions a person makes are often not due to one experience or one comment, but there are many thoughts, values and experiences that lead to it. Those who live righteously and those who live wickedly choose to do so as a result of the internal processing of many ideas, ideals, experiences and goals. The things that mould a person into who they become are many and complicated, and they impact how they treat others. 

When you are on the receiving end of poor behaviour or wickedness, it is easy to consider the person or people involved as wicked. Yet you do not know the inner depths of each person for, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. You do not know that they have been through, or why they are acting as they are. Sometimes these people may even seem quite nice and honourable, as they may act wickedly towards you, but they also can seem righteous or good at times! (v5-6) People are complex creatures, we all are. We all have different motivations and reasons for being like we are. We can even seem nice to some and horrid to others. David has noticed how even those plotting evil diligently against him, ‘search out injustice’. Yet they themselves are unjust in their words and actions towards him. It is a conundrum, but not one that any of us can solve by worrying about it. Instead, David does the only thing he can - talks to God about it - the One who knows the innermost being of every man and woman, and he trusts Him to sort it out. David is certain God will bring about the right course of action, and he will wait for it. For now, until his rescue comes, David will take refuge in speaking with God, trusting in His protection, for the time will come when ‘God shoots his arrows’ at these evildoers, and the people of God will, ‘rejoice in the Lord’ for the victory God has brought about. So instead of preparing to fight, why not take guidance from David, who did not roll up his sleeves and prepare for a battle when people plotted against him, but talked to God, carried on his everyday life and waited and trusted in the love and mercy of God to bring salvation and reason for all of God's people to rejoice?

 

What do you do when you get fed up?

 Psalm 58:1–11 (ESV):  

1  Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? 

Do you judge the children of man uprightly? 

2  No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; 

your hands deal out violence on earth. 

3  The wicked are estranged from the womb; 

they go astray from birth, speaking lies. 

4  They have venom like the venom of a serpent, 

like the deaf adder that stops its ear, 

5  so that it does not hear the voice of charmers 

or of the cunning enchanter. 

6  O God, break the teeth in their mouths; 

tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! 

7  Let them vanish like water that runs away; 

when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted. 

8  Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, 

like the stillborn child who never sees the sun. 

9  Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, 

whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away! 

10  The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; 

he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. 

11  Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; 

surely there is a God who judges on earth.” 

Why are some people intent on evil and others intent on good? Where does right and wrong come from? Is there ultimate justice for the goodness and the badness in the world? These are a few of the question this psalm of David seems to be dealing with. At some point in our lives, we too consider the same things. Many people wonder why there is evil and suffering in the world, where does it come from? Why do some people have influence when their desires are harmful to others? It is good to consider these things, we can learn about life, ourselves and our own moral standards as we consider the big questions of life on Earth.

David was considering such things as he saw people grow from one form of injustice to another becoming venomous, cunning, deceitful and destructive. We can see from this writing that David is pretty fed up with seeing these people going around thinking they are ‘gods’, hurting the innocent and vulnerable. He got so incensed by the evil actions of 'the wicked' that he desires all these people to be violently punished as they seemed to go from one form of evil to another. Even though it seems like the rich and powerful, the corrupt and lying are those that have influence and power, one day God will, ‘break the teeth in their mouths’ - Their words will be futile, their attempts to cause harm will fail and they will ‘be like the snail that dissolves into slime’. These are David’s prayers for justice. He has seen enough of life, of good and evil to observe that the wicked seem to do well for themselves, and it has driven him to passionately pray for their destruction and obliteration. 

Are you fed up with some of the things you have observed in your community, country, family or government? If so, what are you doing about it? If you are moaning to other people, getting increasingly annoyed and bothered by the descent of the world into chaos and wickedness then how does that help? Turn your frustrations into prayers. 

Pray for God to break the evil in this world. He can; break teeth, tear out fangs, make things disappear, blunt, dissolve and put to death. You can know that when you see something that is unrighteous and evil, God doesn’t like it either. So, are you partnering with Him to see an end to it and trusting that one day you will be rejoicing when vengeance comes?! There is power in prayer. You can seek the end of the evil practices of this world plus you can vent your emotions and ask God for solutions. God will listen and those of this world can learn that For, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth’.

Fret not

Psalm 37

 1  Fret not yourself because of evildoers; 

be not envious of wrongdoers! 

2  For they will soon fade like the grass 

and wither like the green herb. 

3  Trust in the Lord, and do good; 

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 

4  Delight yourself in the Lord, 

and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

5  Commit your way to the Lord; 

trust in him, and he will act. 

6  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, 

and your justice as the noonday. 

7  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; 

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, 

over the man who carries out evil devices! 

8  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! 

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 

9  For the evildoers shall be cut off, 

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 

10  In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; 

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 

11  But the meek shall inherit the land 

and delight themselves in abundant peace. 

12  The wicked plots against the righteous 

and gnashes his teeth at him, 

13  but the Lord laughs at the wicked, 

for he sees that his day is coming. 

14  The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows 

to bring down the poor and needy, 

to slay those whose way is upright; 

15  their sword shall enter their own heart, 

and their bows shall be broken. 

16  Better is the little that the righteous has 

than the abundance of many wicked. 

17  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, 

but the Lord upholds the righteous. 

18  The Lord knows the days of the blameless, 

and their heritage will remain forever; 

19  they are not put to shame in evil times; 

in the days of famine they have abundance. 

20  But the wicked will perish; 

the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; 

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 

21  The wicked borrows but does not pay back, 

but the righteous is generous and gives; 

22  for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, 

but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 

23  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, 

when he delights in his way; 

24  though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, 

for the Lord upholds his hand. 

25  I have been young, and now am old, 

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken 

or his children begging for bread. 

26  He is ever lending generously, 

and his children become a blessing. 

27  Turn away from evil and do good; 

so shall you dwell forever. 

28  For the Lord loves justice; 

he will not forsake his saints. 

They are preserved forever, 

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 

29  The righteous shall inherit the land 

and dwell upon it forever. 

30  The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, 

and his tongue speaks justice. 

31  The law of his God is in his heart; 

his steps do not slip. 

32  The wicked watches for the righteous 

and seeks to put him to death. 

33  The Lord will not abandon him to his power 

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 

34  Wait for the Lord and keep his way, 

and he will exalt you to inherit the land; 

you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 

35  I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, 

spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 

36  But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; 

though I sought him, he could not be found. 

37  Mark the blameless and behold the upright, 

for there is a future for the man of peace. 

38  But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; 

the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 

39  The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; 

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 

40  The Lord helps them and delivers them; 

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, 

because they take refuge in him. 

‘Fret not yourself’ is David’s instruction at the beginning of this psalm. He repeats this three times so he clearly knows the ease at which humanity falls into a fretful state. We can fret, worry and become anxious, yet it is futile and unfounded. David reminds us that if you fret about evil and wrongdoers, ‘they will soon fade like grass’, if you are concerned about the wicked people who seem to prosper they, ‘will be cut off’, and if you worry for any other reason you need to know that, ‘it tends only to evil’. No good can come out of fretting, panicking or worrying, only anger and evil. 

David’s first point is that fretting is pointless, because if you know God, what are you worried about?! If you know the love and might of the Lord, if you are even beginning to understand something of His nature, what is there to concern yourself with? David’s second assurance is that wickedness will end - so what is the point of spending time concerning yourself with something that is going to fail and fall apart anyway? Thirdly, if you weren’t already convinced, consider; when you have been overly concerned about something, what good has it done? It has probably led to stress, anxiety, fear, anger. Did fretting ever change anything or benefit a situation? Or did it just lead to you feeling helpless and exhausted? These are the reasons why David, in his wisdom, tells you not to worry. Alternatively, he instructs three times you should, ‘Wait for the Lord’. Waiting for God is powerful. It exercises trust, grows confidence, gives security and will allow you to see that God is in action - the total opposite of what fretting achieves! David tells us that, ‘those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land’. Even if the wicked seem to be doing well for themselves, ‘in just a little while, the wicked will be no more’. So do not waste your time in fear or worry, but instead trust God and wait. For, ‘the arms of the wicked shall be broken’, ‘the wicked will perish’ and, ‘the wicked plots….but the Lord laughs’! Do not spend time concerning yourself with the schemes of evil that are in this world, for God is not concerned about them, instead, He laughs! He laughs at their false pride, their confidence in material things and their mindset of immortality. For God knows their comeuppance is coming, He knows their power, wealth and reign will end for they are not really in charge - He is! 

Therefore do not waste your physical, emotional or mental energy on worrying. Alternatively focus on the life you are meant to lead. Pursue the life of righteousness that God is calling you to and do not allow the plots and aims of evil distract you. Instead trust in God and ‘wait patiently’ for Him. Of course, this does not mean that wicked things will not come your way or that you should bury your head in the sand and ignore terrible circumstances, but it does mean that they should not be your focus, or take much of your time or energy. David knows very well the traumatic trials that can come your way, and he has now learnt as an old man that there are troubles, but complaining and worrying about them won’t make them go away, but God will. So his commendation is to seek God, pray and restfully wait for God to intervene. You can be assured that God sees, hears and laughs at the ridiculous notion that the wicked will win, so just wait.

This psalm guarantees that those who trust in God and wait for Him will; have the desires of their heart satisfied (v4), receive justice (v6), ‘inherit the land’, ‘delight themselves in abundant peace’, be upheld (v17), and will not be put to shame (v19). Isn’t that worth spending your time contemplating?! For God sees and knows what people are up to. He knows the righteous from the wicked. He knows whose ways will ultimately prosper, and he lets you into the secret through this psalm too! You need to focus on the way you are living and not waste time concerning yourself with the acts of others. You cannot change them. Remember that God is laughing at those who are wicked as he sees the demise of their evil ways. One day they, ‘like smoke will vanish away’, You can however change your own mindset and behaviour to ensure that you are honouring and trusting God with your life. 

Do you need to change your focus today and move from fretting into faith? 

‘Commit your way to the Lord, rest in him, and He will act.’ (v5).

When friends become enemies, what do you do?

 Psalm 35:1–28 (ESV):  

1  Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; 

fight against those who fight against me! 

2  Take hold of shield and buckler 

and rise for my help! 

3  Draw the spear and javelin 

against my pursuers! 

Say to my soul, 

“I am your salvation!” 

4  Let them be put to shame and dishonour 

who seek after my life! 

Let them be turned back and disappointed 

who devise evil against me! 

5  Let them be like chaff before the wind, 

with the angel of the Lord driving them away! 

6  Let their way be dark and slippery, 

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them! 

7  For without cause they hid their net for me; 

without cause they dug a pit for my life. 

8  Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! 

And let the net that he hid ensnare him; 

let him fall into it—to his destruction! 

9  Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, 

exulting in his salvation. 

10  All my bones shall say, 

“O Lord, who is like you, 

delivering the poor 

from him who is too strong for him, 

the poor and needy from him who robs him?” 

11  Malicious witnesses rise up; 

they ask me of things that I do not know. 

12  They repay me evil for good; 

my soul is bereft. 

David is telling of a time when he was unfairly harassed and persecuted. He did not deserve it, and he really suffered at the hands of his former friends; emotionally as well as physically. David could not think of any harm he had committed, he had been kind to them, and then one day, those he once worked with turned against him for no apparent reason. Have you ever been in such a position? Where once those you’ve liked, loved, worked well with, became enemies? If so, do not fear, it is not your fault. This just clearly show how the devil and his army is at work. He will use and manipulate people to make your life difficult. There won’t necessarily be a reason other than the fact that you’re doing your best to honour God with your life. This is the reality for God’s people whether you’re a king like David, a cleaner, home maker, minister, cashier, office worker, engineer, retired or anything else. The reality is there will be people out to get you just because you stand for a kingdom they do not and they have been enticed into evil by the devil. This is the situation David is describing. 

Even though you can understand where the attack is coming from, it is still painful. David knew and he still suffered. So, David told God about it all - what was going on and how he felt, and he asked Him to intervene. David needed help to remember who he is, not to be persuaded by the words others were speaking about him or to start to believe the falsehoods that were being spread. He asked that God would save him and cause the enemy to get caught in their own schemes. 

David realised that there was no point in him fighting for himself, this was not simply a matter of people being mistaken and being able to be corrected. Therefore it would be pointless to try to stand up for himself and fight for his innocence, they simply weren’t interested. So, he implored God to sort it out as he knew that he couldn’t. This is a powerful thing to do. It reminds me of Jesus being before his accusers and being silent - it takes great self-control and confidence in God to not retaliate or argue your case. Yet there is great strength in silence when you know God can do far more than you can, and you let Him.

In order to maintain your innocence and wellbeing, your reputation and character, it is often best if you pray and wait, and continue to do what you know is right. It will be difficult and painful, but do as David did and implore God to deal with it. David had learnt that doing things his own way usually went badly and was exhausting, so now he has learned to lean into God and let Him do His thing in His timing. God knows how to deal with any situation and He desires to preserve His anointed ones, His people. Instead of panicking and worrying, pray and remind yourself of God’s power and presence and that one day you will be ‘exulting in his salvation’. 

13  But I, when they were sick— 

I wore sackcloth; 

I afflicted myself with fasting; 

I prayed with head bowed on my chest. 

14  I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; 

as one who laments his mother, 

I bowed down in mourning. 

15  But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; 

they gathered together against me; 

wretches whom I did not know 

tore at me without ceasing; 

16  like profane mockers at a feast, 

they gnash at me with their teeth. 

17  How long, O Lord, will you look on? 

Rescue me from their destruction, 

my precious life from the lions! 

18  I will thank you in the great congregation; 

in the mighty throng I will praise you. 

19  Let not those rejoice over me 

who are wrongfully my foes, 

and let not those wink the eye 

who hate me without cause. 

20  For they do not speak peace, 

but against those who are quiet in the land 

they devise words of deceit. 

21  They open wide their mouths against me; 

they say, “Aha, Aha! 

Our eyes have seen it!” 

Sometimes those you have loved and looked after stab you in the back. David tells of how painful, confusing and frustrating that is. He really, deeply cared for the people that have now taken the opportunity to try to destroy him, no wonder he is ‘bereft’. He has invested in relationships, helped, prayed and cared for the very people who now are trying to tear him apart. It is heart wrenching when those we have invested in turn their backs on us and start to attack. Do not fear or worry if this happens to you. It shows their character and commitment, not yours. Just make sure that you are not fuelling the dispute by engaging. Sometimes remaining silent is more powerful than fighting for your reputation even in their eyes. David doesn’t try to convince them about how good and innocent he is, how he has always wanted the best for them, instead he turns to God. He tells God what is going on, how unfair and painful it is. He knows that if people have turned against in this way, clubbing together to increase their hatred then there is no point trying to reestablish relationship. They will just use the opportunity to further fuel their fury. Maintain innocence in your behaviour. Do not be persuaded to use underhand techniques or to verbally fight back. That can cause you more anger and upset and destroy your character and reputation making you no longer the innocent party in the matter. God can sort out the situation. You will need to exercise restraint and self-control as you trust God to rescue you. He can shut the mouths of lions, part seas, bring bones to life so he can sort out the bullies and betrayers.

22  You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! 

O Lord, be not far from me! 

23  Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, 

for my cause, my God and my Lord! 

24  Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, 

according to your righteousness, 

and let them not rejoice over me! 

25  Let them not say in their hearts, 

“Aha, our heart’s desire!” 

Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” 

26  Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether 

who rejoice at my calamity! 

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour 

who magnify themselves against me! 

27  Let those who delight in my righteousness 

shout for joy and be glad 

and say evermore, 

“Great is the Lord, 

who delights in the welfare of his servant!” 

28  Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness 

and of your praise all the day long. 

David’s first response in this section is to know God is close. When others have let him down, abandoned and turned against him, he needs to know God is listening and is close by. You will need to know the comfort and strength of God’s presence too when you encounter such a time, so ask for it. Ask God to not only triumph over the enemies, but to also help you with your emotions, your sense of self and bring you comfort and assurance. God can do all of that and all at the same time!

As well as acknowledging the lost relationships, remember those whom are still standing with you. There are still those who are championing you, who really know you and care about your situation. Thank God for them! Allow them to look after you, support you and provide for you. God has given you these ones to help you, so let them. Appreciate these people and, as David does, pray for them to be able to celebrate with you when the trial is over. Do not be totally overcome by those whom have abandoned and mistreated you, but be aware of those who are still with you. Look out for them and show your love and gratitude, and invest in these relationships. 

Finally, remember that, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”. God is awesome, He is Lord and he cares about you and so will bring restoration and good to you out of this situation. The end of this torment is certain, for God brings good to those that love Him. You need to ensure that you are walking right before God and that even in trial you honour and worship Him. David does. He is clear that he is innocent in this matter and unlike his enemies he does not rejoice in others’ downfall or demise, but instead commiserates with them and rejoices in God. Even when he is accused and harassed. Keep your heart pure, and keep firm in God as your source of joy. For this trial will transform into a time of worship as you see the wisdom and power of God bring vindication and relief so, ’rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation’ You can rejoice now, even in the midst of trouble, for you can know the truth that this trial will end, that God will restore and will pour out favour on those who follow and honour Him.

Persist in Prayer

 Psalm 28:1–9 (ESV):  

1  To you, O Lord, I call; 

my rock, be not deaf to me, 

lest, if you be silent to me, 

I become like those who go down to the pit. 

2  Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, 

when I cry to you for help, 

when I lift up my hands 

toward your most holy sanctuary. 

3  Do not drag me off with the wicked, 

with the workers of evil, 

who speak peace with their neighbours 

while evil is in their hearts. 

4  Give to them according to their work 

and according to the evil of their deeds; 

give to them according to the work of their hands; 

render them their due reward. 

5  Because they do not regard the works of the Lord 

or the work of his hands, 

he will tear them down and build them up no more. 

6  Blessed be the Lord! 

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 

7  The Lord is my strength and my shield; 

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; 

my heart exults, 

and with my song I give thanks to him. 

8  The Lord is the strength of his people; 

he is the saving refuge of his anointed. 

9  Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! 

Be their shepherd and carry them forever. 

In this psalm David starts off quite frustrated as he is praying and has been praying repeatedly for some time, but it seems like God is deaf and silent. Have you ever felt like that? Unheard, or even ignored by God|? It is not uncommon to feel this way, and it is such a relief to read these words in David’s psalm - to know that others have a similar experience and have got through it. This psalm reminds me of the story of the persistent widow in the New Testament (Luke 18). She kept asking for the same thing until she got a different response. Jesus commended us through that parable to be incessant in prayer. David was, even when he was bored of asking the same thing, frustrated and felt unheard. Are you persistent in prayer? Continually praying and seeking God is hard work especially when God seems silent. David had to learn the hard lesson that God does certainly hear and is active, just not in his way or time frame. The same is true for you. Do you have the steadfastness to keep going?

It can feel frustrating and you can become desperate, despairing and despondent when prayers seem to go unanswered. Don’t forget to let God know that too - David does - he implores God not to be deaf or silent! That sounds a brazen way to speak to the Lord Almighty! Yet God doesn't tell him off for it, in fact David is known by God as, "a man after my own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14)! Clearly, God loves the honesty. It is a symbol of a great relationship when you can be truly open and honest with each other, keeping nothing hidden. That is how David is with God, and you can be too. 

Even when David is confused and annoyed, David still seeks relationship with God. Even when God is the one David is confused by and frustrated by! This is faith! David knew that God was worth talking to and pouring out his problems to even when God was not appearing to do anything or speak. David still knew God was the One who could change things and help. He did not give up, he persevered in prayer as he was more concerned about living a life without God which would enter into evil than God's apparent silence. I find it interesting that David is appealing to God to listen to and answer him as he is concerned that God’s continued silence will cause him to lose focus and go the way of the wicked. That is his concern, that God's lack of interaction with him will cause him to lose focus and sin. Have you ever thought of that for yourself? That when you pull away from God, put less time and effort into the relationship that you are more at risk of doing evil? David knows his weaknesses and is concerned that if God remains silent, it will become increasingly difficult to resist temptation. The further away God seems, the easier it is to do what you know is wrong. This is what David is concerned about. He knows himself pretty well and is aware of the triggers that could lead him into wickedness and the ‘pit’. Do you know your pitfalls? Are you aware of the things that tempt you to go wayward? Do you seek relationship with God even in the hard times because your desire is to maintain righteous and not stumble into sin?

Maybe the distance David feels is because of sin. He refers in verse 2 to lifting up his hands to God's sanctuary pleading for mercy and help. Maybe David had gone wrong and he realised that this distance between him and God was because of his own wrongdoing. How can a pure, holy God get near those who are sinful and guilty? David knew this was the case and so pleads for mercy, forgiveness and help. David wanted to be made right before God and knew he could not do it by himself, the same is true for you. Thankfully God knew this was a problem and so has sent Jesus as a sacrifice for all sin, so you can be made right before God, you still need to ask for forgiveness though. When you go wrong, do you? Or do you just assume you're forgiven? It is right to repent and to mourn your wayward tendencies. It is right for you to plead for forgiveness and mercy as David did. You will receive it because Jesus has already paid the price for it, all you need to do is admit it and ask. 

Next David reminds himself that the wicked don’t actually prosper, not long-term anyway. He knows that God will, ‘tear them down and build them up no more’. It is obvious that God’s way is the better way. Yet it is hard to live knowing that sometimes as other options seem inviting. The attraction of not going God's way can blind you sometimes to the truth that the way of the wicked always ends in a pit. This is true whether you're feeling close to God or not. You need to remind yourself, as David did, of the reality that living life like the wicked will lead you away from God, His blessings, salvation, sanctuary, safety and reward. However you choose to live, God will, ‘render them their due reward’. What reward are you living to receive? Are you looking forward to receiving your reward as someone who lives for God or will you be receiving the 'reward'  of the wicked? Evil ways, deception, wayward living, physical gratification all may seem pleasant and desirable in the immediate, but the long-term effects are the pit and a tearing down. What can you expect to receive? 

David concludes at the end of this psalm that the way of the Lord is the way to go. Although it is tough, lonely, sacrificial and painful at times, at least your reward is with God. He can give you salvation, strength and rescue, blessing, hope and refuge. Whereas the promise for those going in a different direction is that God, ‘will tear them down and build them up no more’. This means that perseverance is required. Relationship with God needs to be sought and worked at, prayer needs to be persistent and the direction of your life needs to be set. God will not always seem close and you may not always hear or see Him acting, what are you going to do then? Are you going to still be seeking, praying and walking in the way He has set for you? 

Keep choosing the way of the Lord, and the long-term benefits will follow. Praise God for the promises he has over your life, for your eternity and your salvation, and keep honouring and living for Him, persist in prayer and you will know His blessings!

Which assembly do you wish to be part of?

Psalm 26:1–12 (ESV): 

1  Vindicate me, O Lord, 

for I have walked in my integrity, 

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 

2  Prove me, O Lord, and try me; 

test my heart and my mind. 

3  For your steadfast love is before my eyes, 

and I walk in your faithfulness. 

4  I do not sit with men of falsehood, 

nor do I consort with hypocrites. 

5  I hate the assembly of evildoers, 

and I will not sit with the wicked. 

6  I wash my hands in innocence 

and go around your altar, O Lord, 

7  proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, 

and telling all your wondrous deeds. 

8  O Lord, I love the habitation of your house 

and the place where your glory dwells. 

9  Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, 

nor my life with bloodthirsty men, 

10  in whose hands are evil devices, 

and whose right hands are full of bribes. 

11  But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; 

redeem me, and be gracious to me. 

12  My foot stands on level ground; 

in the great assembly I will bless the Lord. 

I find it interesting that David says, ‘I love the habitation of your house’ as at the time David wrote this there was no temple of God. David desired to build one, but God told him that his son would do it, not him. So the altar and the ark of the covenant still had no permanent home. It was placed in a large tent (like in the time of Moses). This was the ‘house’ of God, the place of worship in David’s time. It was not permanent or solid, yet it was a secure environment that was pleasant to be in because God’s ‘glory dwells’ there. Wherever God’s glory dwells it is a place of safety, acceptance, fun, deliverance, mercy and love, so why wouldn’t David love to be there?! 

In contrast, David also talks about the ‘assembly of evildoers’, where sin, lying, hypocrisy, wickedness and general godlessness abound. One assembly is full of thanksgiving and praise of God and the other is full of bribes and 'bloodthirsty men'. Which assembly would you like to be a part of? In life, you get to choose the kinds of people you spend time with and the places you go. David was aware of this, and he was also conscious of the fact that the places you go and the people you surround yourself with impact you. So, who do you choose to be with? Who are you allowing to influence your life? 

Even if you would choose to only spend time with those who are part of the house of God, the reality is that sometimes you will be around people that you would rather not be. Whether that is at work, in your community or when travelling, you will be in the presence of people that are not following God. David is prepared for these interactions and situations as he learnt a good technique for when he needs to be around these people. He determines not to ‘sit’ with them. That may sound simple or even a bit rude, but David ensures that he does not get comfortable being around the wicked. He does not allow their schemes or  advice hold sway in his life. He has worked out that when he is around those that lie and do evil he limits the time he is with them. He does not hang out with them, take a comfortable position or seek to stay around the wicked for long. David knows you can end up being influenced by their ideas and ideals and it can affect your integrity, mind, decisions and faith. Therefore he does not give these people permission to 'sit' in his presence, and he chooses not to 'sit' with them either. Are you mindful of the people you choose spend time with? When you are around them, do their behaviours and attitudes sway you? Do they have a good, godly influence on you, or do they lead you to damage your character and integrity? Ensure that when you leave the company of others you can say as David did that you, ‘wash my hands in innocence’.

David knows what it is like to be amongst the godly and the ungodly, and has realised what is better for him. His desire is to continue to live his life surrounded by those that honour God. He wants to keep living in integrity. Therefore he ensures that he, even though he is a; mighty, powerful, famous, busy king, gets to the place of worship regularly. David knows that the only way that he can keep living well and keep his integrity, is if he puts worshipping and honouring God at the forefront of his life. David realises that he needs to put himself in the presence of God and surround himself with the right ‘assembly’ of people so that he can ‘bless the Lord’ and keep his life righteous. 

Being with God’s people in God's house should be far more attractive than ‘the assembly of evildoers’. When you meet in the dwelling place of God, His presence is tangible. It is a place worship, sacrifice, cleansing, praise, strengthening and thanksgiving. Whereas where the wicked meet is full of lies, hypocrisy, harm, greed and violence. Where would you rather be?

Do you love going to a place of worship? Do you look forward to meeting with other believers? If not, why not? Meeting as an assembly of believers should be something you yearn to do, where you experience the love, presence and forgiveness of God - what could be better than that?! Meeting as church should be fun and bring revelation and freedom, helping people clean up their lives and giving thanks for God’s many, ‘wondrous deeds’. An opportunity for you to share what God has been doing in your life, to give and receive prayer and teaching, to challenge and change you more into the image of Christ. Can you say along with David, 'I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells'?

Are you good?

Today as we look at the next psalm, it is important to note that there is another psalm, 53, that is almost identical. So the message of this psalm is doubly important as the Bible has the same message in the same book twice! 

1  The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” 

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; 

there is none who does good. 

Who can look at the world and all that is in it and not believe there is a God? Or look at the way all things work together, from the organs of the smallest beast to the structure of the most magnificent tree and not recognise that there must be a master creator, designer and sustainer of all things? Only a fool, says the psalmist, can see these things and not consider that there must be a God. The result of this foolish conclusion is living a life without God. As a person rejects God and refuses to even consider the reality of Him, they move away from the source of goodness and love (which is God) and so cannot do what is correct, right, loving, honest or honourable. This leads to the degradation and contortion of character, mindset and desires and develops into; debasement, abuse, degradation, manipulation, and revolting activities. People become corrupt when they turn away from God and do whatever they wish. They live as if they are the master and creator, designer and sustainer of their own existence which leads to distress and despair in the lives of many. It is not good. 

2  The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, 

to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 

3  They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; 

there is none who does good, not even one. 

As God beholds what happens on Earth, it does not take Him long to see evil. To see those who have gone away from Him and lead lives of corrupt abomination. In fact, it is difficult for Him to find people that are doing right and are looking for Him. When God looks around He concludes, ‘all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.’ Mankind is in a desperate state. When God looks, He sees no righteous or good people around. 

This may be hard to consider and you may think that you know some 'good' people, yet is any human truly good? Are anyone’s motives pure, innocent, honest? If you could look from God’s perspective, what would you see? You would probably conclude, as He does that every person on Earth has failed to do good but have done some terrible things. Even those that believe and trust in God go awry. They are not truly good either plus they are not whole-heartedly seeking God - they get worn out, selfish and distracted too. So, as God looks upon the Earth we should not be surprised that no-one is good. His standard of goodness is far above ours! All of mankind has failed. We have all gone our own way - you have, I have, others have, so we have all failed to be good and we have all failed to live God-filled lives. 

Therefore as we cannot achieve the level of goodness or godliness God is looking for, how can any of us understand Him or His designs and purposes? Yet, as God looks down upon His world He wishes to find those that are looking for Him -  that is what He is searching for. He is not looking for corruption, debasement and sin, trying to catch people out - God wants to find people who are good and who seeking Him, and He keeps searching. What kind of person will He find when He looks at you?

4  Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers 

who eat up my people as they eat bread 

and do not call upon the Lord? 

5  There they are in great terror, 

for God is with the generation of the righteous. 

Even as God looks on and sees the corruption, lack of people following Him and absence of good in the world, He has pity. How can people eat and drink the very things God has made and not recognise Him? God clearly feels sad and concerned about the way people are living - not for His own sake, but for theirs. Instead of appreciating the provision and life they have, the opportunities and delights, people take everyday blessings for granted and end up not just consuming food to live, but end up consuming the lives of others in order to have more themselves. People can think this is success, profit, achievement. Yet cannot see that depravity, distress and the debasement of life is never good or fulfilling. So the spiral into sin continues as mankind do not learn or seek to learn that life can be different. Instead they continue in selfish ignorance seeking after more at the expense of others. They are in great danger. For there is a God that looks upon the Earth. He sees the abuse of His world and His people and it grieves and angers Him. Those who are oblivious and unconcerned about His presence and power are living in great peril. For the Almighty God sees and will act. One day, anyone that has been living in ignorance or disobedience to God will feel the terror of their decisions. Will that be you?

6  You would shame the plans of the poor, 

but the Lord is his refuge. 

7  Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! 

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, 

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. 

Those that are overlooked or oppressed will be upheld by God Himself. Even if others shame them, treat them with derision and abuse them, God looks out for them. He will rescue them and be their strength - The Lord is on their side. If that is you - rejoice! If you know that you have treated others in such a manner - tremble! For God will, ‘restore the fortunes of His people’ - one day we will all get what we deserve. Are you living to receive the terror or salvation of God?

Even though God has looked down and seen the awful state of humanity and the evil and lack of good in each person, He still cares about His creation. He still loves and wants the best for those He has made this is why there is the hope of salvation. When this psalm was written, there was the hope and looking forward to a time when people could be truly restored, forgiven and made good. Now those things are attainable. Salvation has come from Zion (v7)! Through Jesus, the son of God, salvation has arrived. No longer do you have to worry yourself about being good enough because Jesus was - he lived the perfect life of goodness that no-one else could achieve. He did that, then he traded that life for a gruesome death in order to put to death all your ungodliness, corruption and vileness. Now you can be free from all sin and wickedness and considered by God as good. This happens when you trust and believe in Jesus and all that he did, and accept that he sacrificed his life as the pure and final atonement for sin. Then, like Jesus, you can live a new life. One where the old has been put to death. You can be forgiven, restored and made good because Jesus goodness can become your goodness. If you decide to live a life seeking God and trusting in Jesus for freedom from sin, then when God looks upon the Earth he will see you and see you as good. As, when he looks at you he no longer will see all the bad stuff, he will just see how you represent His perfect son! Are you trusting in Jesus for your salvation - for freedom from the spiral of sin and the desire to be good?

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The tongue is a fire

 ‘The tongue is a fire’

A fire can be used for many things. It can be used to provide warmth, to cook by, provide light and for guidance. It can also be used to devour and destroy. The same is true for the tongue;

James 3:6–10: the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Here James tells us of the evil that we each have to live with and learn to bring into order. It resides within each of our bodies and has the propensity to produce much harm. The tongue is powerful. It can build up or tear down. You can probably recall times in your life when you have been built up or torn down by the words of others. How have you felt when people have let their tongues be ‘set on fire’? It can be painful, infuriating and untrue, but also uplifting, encouraging and overwhelming. 

If, considering this, you are feeling hurt again as you recall something that has been said to you, then now is a good time to turn around and forgive. Re-read the verses above again. The tongue is a; ‘restless evil’, ‘world of unrighteousness’ and ‘full of deadly poison’. Each human being has to live with that inside of them, so if you have been hurt by someone because of the words they have/haven’t used, appreciate that it is a wrestling match for every human being trying to 'tame the tongue'. It doesn't mean that it is excusable or acceptable what people have said, but you do get to choose whether you are going to live under the harmful words others have spoken over you. In order to be free from the power of those words, you need to forgive. If the tongue is a source of evil as James writes, then do not let yourself be bound to it. By talking to God about it and seeking to forgive whoever you need to can free you from the power of those words. 

The tongue is a real power, the words we use have influence. Just as you have considered how words have impacted your life, now think about how your words impact others. Words are powerful, therefore you should be mindful how you use them. 

Do you harness the power of your tongue? The tongue is powerful as James reminds us it has great potential for evil, yet it also has great potential for good. Elsewhere in the Bible we are told that words can build up or bind up. Therefore you have a choice to make in how you use them - what is your intended purpose in how you are communicating with others? I know sometimes I know what i am aiming to communicate and when i speak i can see from others facial expression that i have completely mis-communicated. Has that ever happened to you? If it goes well i apologise and let them know that what they have heard is not what i intended to communicate and i seek to try again and i have to really consider the words i am using to get across the information i need to. Those moments remind me that what i think i am saying is not what everyone hears. I think this is why James is emphasising the negative side of communication - to remind us that in our natural state we are not the best at communicating. Therefore we need to be mindful that something as simple as talking can have powerful influence in someone's life.

James wants you to recognise that if you want to follow God and put Jesus at the centre of your life, your WHOLE self needs to die and be reborn again as it is all evil and therefore all needs transformation. If you want to follow God then your actions, lifestyle, and your physical body need to be renewed. This includes your speech as tongues are proponents of sin. Violent speech, coarse language, angry passion, rudeness, disappointment, hatred and cursing are all communicated via the tongue. They should not be coming from someone who believes in Jesus and claims to be living a life following God though. That is what you can expect from those that have not yet received the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of God. If you know that you speak in these ways, then you need to know that God wants your nature and your body to come into alignment with honouring Jesus. If you count Jesus as your saviour, then he is the saviour of your body as well as your soul, and he cares about how you communicate, therefore your words also need to be redeemed.

If you find you run away with words that are ‘set on fire by hell’, then you need to put in the hard work of taming the tongue or be quiet. James has already told us at the beginning of his letter to listen more than we speak - no wonder if the tongue is such a torment and a trial to tame! 

There is good news though - words can also build up. As the tongue is a fire, it can also be used for good. Are you up for harnessing the power of your tongue to bring encouragement, hope, rest, truth, justice, kindness, hope and love? Just as the tongue can be used for evil, it can also be used to honour others and honour God. It just takes some work on your behalf to do that, are you prepared to allow God to tame your tongue by asking the Holy Spirit to transform your words into those that bring life to others?

‘The tongue is a fire’

What are you going to set alight today? 

Are you going to intentionally bring harm or good from the powerful instrument that God has given you?