Dealing with hypocrisy

 Psalm 41:1–13 (ESV):  

1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! 

In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 

2  the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; 

he is called blessed in the land; 

you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 

3  The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; 

in his illness you restore him to full health. 

4  As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; 

heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 

5  My enemies say of me in malice, 

“When will he die, and his name perish?” 

6  And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, 

while his heart gathers iniquity; 

when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 

7  All who hate me whisper together about me; 

they imagine the worst for me. 

8  They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him; 

he will not rise again from where he lies.” 

9  Even my close friend in whom I trusted, 

who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. 

10  But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, 

and raise me up, that I may repay them! 

11  By this I know that you delight in me: 

my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. 

12  But you have upheld me because of my integrity, 

and set me in your presence forever. 

13  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, 

from everlasting to everlasting! 

Amen and Amen. 

In these verses we see how David starts generically talking about how God blesses, ‘the one who considers the poor’. He then applies this to his life and realises that considering those that have less or are weaker than yourself somehow leads to God’s blessing. Showing mercy, being courteous, kind and demonstrating compassion to those who need it means that in some way you earn God’s favour. If you do it with the right motives of course, as God sees the heart and intention of your actions. 

David then considers how this relates to his present position. He recognises that although he is very ill, yet, ‘The Lord sustains him’. Not only that, but he is aware that God is also; restoring him, has given him favour throughout his country, has not given up on him or given him over to his enemies. David acknowledges that despite the current pain and suffering, he is still blessed! God is still showing favour to him and David puts this down to the fact that he has shown kindness and compassion to those who are poor and needy, and has done his best to be a man of integrity living his life following God. David considers himself blessed even at this time when he is significantly ill and repentant. He is waiting for, yet assured of, the fact that God will restore him both physically and spiritually, because although he knows he is not perfect, he has lived his life doing his best to honour God and consider others. 

This season was not easy for David. Although he was assured of God’s blessing and mercy, he still had to endure the discomfort physically, spiritually and emotionally. It still hurt, he still suffered. David tells us that there are people that are visiting him that are awaiting his death and spreading news of his demise. Those that should have shown concern for his current illness are actually gathering to see if it will finish him off and then spreading rumours of his decline. Yet David knew that he was being healed and restored. Therefore there must have been signs of improvement but these people chose not to see it and certainly did not want it. These people, even close friends, went to see him pretending to have concern and compassion, but instead of trying to help or hope for his recovery they spread false rumours that, ‘he will not rise again’. These people weren’t just any visitors either for they have intimate access to the king. So they must have been trusted advisers, friends, courtiers, influential people in David’s realm. Not everyone would have access to the chambers of the king especially when he was weak, only significant people in the king's life would have the permission to see him. Yet these people abused their privilege and showed their real character through this time of David’s suffering. They revealed that they are not friends or trusted counsellors but enemies instead of caring for David and showing concern for his decline they revelled in it. What a heartbreaking situation to find yourself in. When those you care about, trust, love and have built life with, root for your destruction. Not only was David dealing with repentance, blessing and illness, he also had to deal with the emotional upheaval of changing relationships. They thought he would be able to do nothing about their altered attitudes as they waited expectantly for his death. Yet he knew their thoughts and actions and was given confidence that, ‘my enemy will not shout in triumph over me’. God must have shown David that his recovery was coming as he knew he was not as unwell as others desired. He was certain that God was upholding him because of his integrity, due to his behaviour towards God and others so he was assured that this season would result in full health and restoration and the blessing of God.

Times of trouble can reveal who is really for you and who is not. David began to recognise that some people were hypocritical and had transformed themselves from close counsellors into enemies. Yet he did not do anything about it whilst he was unwell. He waited. He did not throw them out or prevent them from coming to see him. Maybe he was waiting to gather further evidence to see if his concerns were validated. He did not react out of fear or anger, but knew that God would deal with them and that he would have an opportunity to, ‘repay them’. He had a God-given assurance that in good time, all would be made right. Even though experiencing hypocrisy is infuriating, it does not always need calling out and confronting straight away. Allow yourself time to consider the circumstances, the person and talk to God about it like David did. It will be frustrating, feel powerless and painful, but God will show you how to deal with such people. Their comeuppance is coming, you need to ensure that you continue to live with integrity and maintain your own good conduct and character. David was determined to do this - to maintain his right standing before God, to not respond until he was fully recovered and to allow God to influence how to deal with these deceitful people. So if you find yourself having to deal with a similar situation, do not rush to react or let your emotions get out of hand. Instead trust that God will reveal truth and restore you. He will not allow the enemies of His dedicated followers prevail. He didn’t allow that for David, and He won’t allow that for you. So, keep; praying, waiting and trusting that God sees and knows all. He will sustain and restore you too. So, when you suffer, when you have times of trial, when people disappoint and come against you - keep mindful about what God is doing, who He is and what you can expect of Him. Consider your relationship with Him and your behaviour towards others. David was confident that he would be restored and his name and integrity upheld. God will do the same for you as you continue to walk with Him, lead a life of integrity and care for the poor. Ensure that you live a life that allows you with full confidence to say along with David that God has, 'upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.

Pray, wait and share

 Psalm 40:1–17 (ESV):  

1  I waited patiently for the Lord; 

he inclined to me and heard my cry. 

2  He drew me up from the pit of destruction, 

out of the miry bog, 

and set my feet upon a rock, 

making my steps secure. 

3  He put a new song in my mouth, 

a song of praise to our God. 

Many will see and fear, 

and put their trust in the Lord. 

4  Blessed is the man who makes 

the Lord his trust, 

who does not turn to the proud, 

to those who go astray after a lie! 

5  You have multiplied, O Lord my God, 

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; 

none can compare with you! 

I will proclaim and tell of them, 

yet they are more than can be told. 

6  In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, 

but you have given me an open ear. 

Burnt offering and sin offering 

you have not required. 

7  Then I said, “Behold, I have come; 

in the scroll of the book it is written of me: 

8  I delight to do your will, O my God; 

your law is within my heart.” 

9  I have told the glad news of deliverance 

in the great congregation; 

behold, I have not restrained my lips, 

as you know, O Lord. 

10  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; 

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; 

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness 

from the great congregation. 

11  As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain 

your mercy from me; 

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will 

ever preserve me! 

12  For evils have encompassed me 

beyond number; 

my iniquities have overtaken me, 

and I cannot see; 

they are more than the hairs of my head; 

my heart fails me. 

13  Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! 

O Lord, make haste to help me! 

14  Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether 

who seek to snatch away my life; 

let those be turned back and brought to dishonour 

who delight in my hurt! 

15  Let those be appalled because of their shame 

who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” 

16  But may all who seek you 

rejoice and be glad in you; 

may those who love your salvation 

say continually, “Great is the Lord!” 

17  As for me, I am poor and needy, 

but the Lord takes thought for me. 

You are my help and my deliverer; 

do not delay, O my God! 

When you wait for God to act, He will, and He will give you everything you need. 

David tells us that in his plight he prayed to God, telling Him about the suffering and pain he was experiencing, and God came through. Not just once, but every time. However, each time David had to wait ‘patiently’. When you're in need of God's assistance, do you wait patiently for God to act? Or do you pray, and then try to resolve things yourself? This is fine if God has given you inspiration in how to resolve the issue, otherwise you are preventing God from resolving things and taking the responsibility into your own hands. David tells us that his responsibility was to talk to God, then wait patiently. This is your responsibility too. Yet we can too often do the first bit of praying, but not do the essential second part which is wait! You are not God, therefore you cannot and should not be trying to fix every issue or solve every problem, what you should be doing is what David had learnt - pray and wait. For he declares that, 'I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.' If you want a testimony like that then you need to do the same.

Look at what David experienced. When he had learnt to pray and wait; painfully, enduringly, waiting. He saw that God; turned to him, listened, rescued him and brought him into a safe place, sent him in a new direction and gave David a reason to worship. When you wait on God, really wait, even when it hurts, you can experience this too. Do you want to be listened to, rescued and restored, given new hope and a heart full of gratitude? Then talk to God about what is going on, then wait. Keep praying and waiting, for however long it takes for the situation to dramatically reform then you will have reasons to worship. God will give you have testimonies to share of His goodness so that, 'Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.' Once God has helped you through a trying time in your life, what do you do? Do you thank Him? Give Him gratitude and tell others of God's goodness? 

David declares that, 'I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.' When you have been praying for something to happen and it does, do you tell others about it? Overcoming life's obstacles; being preserved, restored, forgiven, saved, heard by God, given direction security and reassurance are all great testimonies that should be shared. These circumstances demonstrate God's steadfast love, His faithfulness, salvation, kindness and power and so your stories should be shared. You should not hide the stories of deliverance and breakthrough, 'within my heart', but rather they need to be shared in, 'the great congregation. Give God the public glory. It will encourage and inspire others, give hope and show the power, might and love of God. Your story could allow others to, 'put their trust in God'. What a marvellous opportunity you have when God has brought you through temptation and trial - it is a chance for you to share your experience and by doing so others can develop trust in God, grow in faith and be inspired to hope in their situation. So, do not keep quiet, do not restrain your lips because you're afraid or feel that your experience is insignificant or silly. Who does that honour? Instead share about the amazing things God has done in you and in your life. Declare with gladness, 'Great is the Lord', show others that God is your, 'help and deliverer'. For by speaking of your, 'glad news of deliverance', you will be increasing joy, hope and faith in God in your hearers and will increase your own joy in your experience of God's love and power. You help to encourage others and build the church when you share the stories of what God has done. 

You can only collect these stories by praying and waiting. If you try to resolve all the problems yourself, who will get the commendation and praise once the trial has ended? 

Pray to God for the impossible, ask Him to preserve your life, to bring direction, breakthrough, deliverance, salvation, restoration, hope, security, and wait for Him to do so. Then you will have reason to worship, and great stories of, 'deliverance' to share with others so that God's love and faithfulness can be seen afresh and people can be inspired to put their trust and hope in God. You can help build the kingdom of God by praying, waiting and sharing - what a wonderful privilege!

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle

 

Psalm 39:1–13 (ESV):  

1  I said, “I will guard my ways, 

that I may not sin with my tongue; 

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, 

so long as the wicked are in my presence.” 

2  I was mute and silent; 

I held my peace to no avail, 

and my distress grew worse. 

3  My heart became hot within me. 

As I mused, the fire burned; 

then I spoke with my tongue: 

4  “O Lord, make me know my end 

and what is the measure of my days; 

let me know how fleeting I am! 

5  Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, 

and my lifetime is as nothing before you. 

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 

6  Surely a man goes about as a shadow! 

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; 

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 

7  “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? 

My hope is in you. 

8  Deliver me from all my transgressions. 

Do not make me the scorn of the fool! 

9  I am mute; I do not open my mouth, 

for it is you who have done it. 

10  Remove your stroke from me; 

I am spent by the hostility of your hand. 

11  When you discipline a man 

with rebukes for sin, 

you consume like a moth what is dear to him; 

surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 

12  “Hear my prayer, O Lord, 

and give ear to my cry; 

hold not your peace at my tears! 

For I am a sojourner with you, 

a guest, like all my fathers. 

13  Look away from me, that I may smile again, 

before I depart and am no more!” 

Clearly, David is experiencing another time of distress, and it is a time when he is adamant not to discuss his frustration with other people. So he is enforcing himself to be, 'mute and silent’. This is a powerful and tremendously difficult thing to do. The natural, and most common thing for people to do when they are unhappy and annoyed is to share their situation; moan, whinge, rant or cry. So David does something very unusual by vowing to be silent whilst the 'wicked' were within earshot. David was suffering as he was pondering life. He seems to have sinned as he speaks about God's rebukes and discipline, and this has got him considering the brevity of life. He does not want his words and concerns to be misconstrued by others and so he resolves to be quiet about the internal disturbance he is dealing with. He decides to, ‘guard my ways’, ‘not sin with my tongue’ and ‘guard my mouth with a muzzle’. David really restricted himself didn't he?! These phrases sound harsh and painful! You can sense the frustration David feels and also the level of internal discomfort he is feeling. David disciplined himself and was strict with himself with what he said and to whom he said it. This is a sign of wisdom. 

Being able to discern how, when, if and with whom a matter needs to be discussed takes a lot of consideration. David recognised that his words could cause a negative impact if he used them wrongly, and as he was feeling confused and frustrated with life, he knew expressing that to other people would effect the faith they had in God. So, David forced his mouth shut. He knew the power of his words. He saw that speaking without consideration and talking to the wrong audience can cause sin and damage. As a man of God and as a king, he wisely considered how to manage his thoughts, fears and feelings as expressing these to the wrong kind of people could cause untold damage to the kingdom of Israel as well as the kingdom of God. The same is true of you. Your words, or lack of them can impact the community you are apart of and the kingdom you represent. What does the way you deal with disappointment, discipline or frustration communicate about you and the God you believe in?

David fought to be electively silent. 

He found this incredibly difficult and frustrating. Do you also know the strain and pain of restraint? David muzzled himself because he was more concerned about being innocent before the ‘wicked’ and not dishonouring God than relieving his mind and emotions. So he patiently waited for the appropriate place,  time and audience. David waited until he could pour out all his thoughts, fears, emotions and pain before God. He knew the only one that could help, that could comfort, that could bring reassurance and relief was God, and so he waited until he could safely and honestly share his suffering with Him. David held this uncomfortable and painful silence so that he did not dishonour himself or God. He was aware that there were people around him, watching and listening that were ‘wicked’ and he did not want to share his anger or suffering in front of them or for them to overhear his musings and agitations. They could misuse the information to defame David or God and so David 'burned' as he guarded his mouth. His ‘distress grew worse' yet he remained adamant in his vow of silence over the matters of his mind. He was unable to explain or alleviate his mind until he had a chance to speak with God. Is this what you do when you have a burdening heart and a distressed mind? Are you able to be, 'mute and silent' awaiting for a chance to speak to God even when anger and confusion seem to burn inside of you? It takes a great deal of self-discipline to do so. It is hard, and it is painful, yet it can be to your ultimate benefit and to the benefit of God's kingdom.

We can learn from this psalm several things:

• You can sin with your words. So learning to guard your mouth as David did is essential for your righteousness. It is important that you consider your words and not just speak on a whim or out of anger. At times it is better to ‘burn’ inside with anger and frustration than speak out and cause damage to; others, yourself and to offend God. 
• Sharing your emotions is important, but it needs to be done in the right manner and with the right audience. God can hear and bear all of your fear, frustrations, joy, happiness and anger. He is the One who can come and comfort and can change circumstances and ease your mind. Therefore you need to consider who you share your burdens with. 
• Keeping your deepest thoughts and feelings between you and God is ok. In fact it is the best idea!  He will always take time to listen and he understands your heart. Therefore you can share your internal turbulence with Him no matter what it is. If you share your concerns and frustrations with others, some will use what you say to think badly of God and your faith. Some will give you terrible advice and some will not understand but may gossip about your turmoil rather than assisting you in it. Therefore when you are in turmoil consider if you too should take a vow of silence on the matter as David did. Before speaking to others, talk to God and ask Him if there are people of faith that you can trust and share your concerns with.
• Silence can be more powerful than words. It takes a lot of discipline and self-control to not talk of your worries and frustrations. David's silence must have been noted especially as he was in a state of distress, but he knew it was the right course of action for the situation he was in. He knew others could misconstrue his words or dishonour God if he talked to them, so he kept a powerful, God-honouring silence. He did not defend himself or God, but struggled on. When people go through trying seasons without grumbling, it demonstrates an incredible strength.

David knew no-one could assist him with some of his internal struggles, only God. The same is true for you. As, who else holds the answers to life? Who else can explain the purpose of our own lives? 

heaviness of sin

 Psalm 38:1–22 (ESV): 

1  O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, 

nor discipline me in your wrath! 

2  For your arrows have sunk into me, 

and your hand has come down on me. 

3  There is no soundness in my flesh 

because of your indignation; 

there is no health in my bones 

because of my sin. 

4  For my iniquities have gone over my head; 

like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 

5  My wounds stink and fester 

because of my foolishness, 

6  I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; 

all the day I go about mourning. 

7  For my sides are filled with burning, 

and there is no soundness in my flesh. 

8  I am feeble and crushed; 

I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 

9  O Lord, all my longing is before you; 

my sighing is not hidden from you. 

10  My heart throbs; my strength fails me, 

and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. 

11  My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, 

and my nearest kin stand far off. 

12  Those who seek my life lay their snares; 

those who seek my hurt speak of ruin 

and meditate treachery all day long. 

13  But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, 

like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 

14  I have become like a man who does not hear, 

and in whose mouth are no rebukes. 

15  But for you, O Lord, do I wait; 

it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 

16  For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, 

who boast against me when my foot slips!” 

17  For I am ready to fall, 

and my pain is ever before me. 

18  I confess my iniquity; 

I am sorry for my sin. 

19  But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, 

and many are those who hate me wrongfully. 

20  Those who render me evil for good 

accuse me because I follow after good. 

21  Do not forsake me, O Lord! 

O my God, be not far from me! 

22  Make haste to help me, 

O Lord, my salvation! 

When you have sinned, do you acknowledge and lament your wrongdoing? Are you able to admit that when you suffer, it is sometimes because you have been foolish and messed up?

When you know that your current condition is a fair recompense for sin, do you also know you can still ask God for relief? God is not aggressive or revengeful. He loves you and wants you to acknowledge the error of your ways so that you can live a more righteous life. His desire is that you know His love, mercy and grace. In order to be able to know these things in greater measure, sometimes you have to feel the reality of what your sin can bring. Through suffering the consequences you can further appreciate and accept the great gift that salvation is. David recognises this as he suffers. He acknowledges that his present emotional and physical pain is because he has erred and he grieves his decision to go against God. David accepts that he should suffer, but he also knows that he can still go to God even though he has caused the mess he is in! David accepts he deserves this, ‘tumult’ yet he still converses with God about it and shares with Him how he is doing; his regret, pain and weakness. He feels the internal turmoil caused by wrongdoing and asks God for help. You can too.

Even when you fail, you get caught up in sin and disregard God’s instructions, you can still call out to God as David did; ‘make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation’. God does not become disinterested in you when you mess up. Instead He actually wants you to own up to it and talk to Him about it! God still cares for you and wants relationship with you. He is your father, and like a good parent he doesn't disown you or kick you out each time you go wrong. Once you repent and choose to deal with the sin that has separated you, you can enjoy relationship with God again. This time you will probably be more grateful of His salvation and more appreciative of His mercy and grace. That’s the beauty of living acknowledging the power of what Jesus achieved.

David confirms that, ‘my iniquities have gone over my head….they are too heavy for me’. Ever felt like that? That the level of sin is too great, or your wrongdoing unforgivable or so repeatable that you despair of yourself? If so, you are correct in thinking that your wrongs are too heavy. You cannot and should not be carrying the weight of sin around with you. Jesus already has taken the burden of it all. Have you given it all to him? Jesus took upon himself every sin and it died as he died. Therefore these things you do wrong and that seem to entangle you are not even yours. They were last taken on by Jesus as he bled and died on that cross. He did that so you could live free. What you need to remember is that sin no longer belongs to you and you do not belong to it either. The bond between you is broken as sin has been put to death, and death ends any relationship. Jesus died for all that you have ever done and will ever do that God does not approve of. You do not need further punishment. You will, and should feel the pain of repentance, the discomfort of admission of sin, and the difficulty of walking out of it, but you do not need to wear the sin or the fullness of the consequences of it any more. Jesus put an end to that. So if you are feeling stuck in sin today, or are overwhelmed by your wrongdoings or persistent transgressions, remember that Jesus died to save you and the Holy Spirit can come to help you. Cry out to God as David did, ’make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation’. 

When you are a follower of God, yet you sin, your salvation is unaffected. David knew this, that is why he ends this psalm with that last sentence. Your relationship and acceptance by God is not torn apart because you did something wrong. You do need to confess it and possibly make recompense, but you can know the joy of forgiveness. I know I did things wrong as a kid, and my parents never banished me or denied me. I would have to tidy up my mess, repair or pay for what was broken, apologise, and my parents would forgive me. The sorting out the damage and admitting what I had done was more important for my benefit than theirs. To show me that doing things wrong has consequences. The relationship was never in jeopardy. The same is true when you realise you have sinned against God. God is a better parent than mine can ever be, so why do you expect a different response from Him? He will hear your admission, forgive your sin and help you restore yourself and the situation. Nothing is too big or terrible that He will deny you or reject you. God is the best parent you could ever have. He is not like your own parents, even if they were great like mine. God is approachable, available, ready and waiting to accept, love and forgive you - are you letting Him?

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).

reject evil

 Psalm 36:1–12 (ESV):  

1  Transgression speaks to the wicked 

deep in his heart; 

there is no fear of God 

before his eyes. 

2  For he flatters himself in his own eyes 

that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 

3  The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; 

he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 

4  He plots trouble while on his bed; 

he sets himself in a way that is not good; 

he does not reject evil. 

5  Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, 

your faithfulness to the clouds. 

6  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; 

your judgments are like the great deep; 

man and beast you save, O Lord. 

7  How precious is your steadfast love, O God! 

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 

8  They feast on the abundance of your house, 

and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 

9  For with you is the fountain of life; 

in your light do we see light. 

10  Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, 

and your righteousness to the upright of heart! 

11  Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, 

nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 

12  There the evildoers lie fallen; 

they are thrust down, unable to rise. 

When you do something wrong, do you ever try to cover it up? Or explain it away as if it’s not such a bad thing? This is what David tells us happens in the heart of the wicked. People that have done wrong and do not admit it, that try to make it sound ok to have wickedness in them and remain unrepentant of sin, are wicked. Trying to appease guilt and shame by diminishing the extent of your wrongdoing is not ok. It is not humility, kindness or understanding, it is wickedness. This is because when you try to explain away sin, it leads to pride as you, ‘flatter yourself’ that you can manage to convince others of your not-so-bad behaviour and feel good about these powers of persuasion rather than confessing the sin and hating it (v2). Pride in the cover up may cause you to feel less bad, but it separates you from truth, justice and righteousness which are the qualities God wants you to have and enjoy. You should not attempt to hide sin or make it seem less terrible. Sin is sin. It is wilful disobedience to God, purposefully doing the things you know you shouldn’t, turning your back on good and pursuing evil. Yet we all do it, sin i mean, so there is grace for forgiveness and restoration, but you need to ensure that in your life sin is hated and called out, not hidden, accepted or excused. It is the work of the devil trying to take you off track by getting you to accept and excuse wrongdoing so that you can continue living sinfully instead of pursuing righteousness and God’s presence. 

If you wish to honour God with your life yet find yourself trying to appease your own soul and mind through covering up sin, know that you are in danger of becoming one whose, ‘words … are trouble and deceit’. It is a slippery slope and if this behaviour becomes embedded in your life then you will cease, ‘to act wisely and do good’. It is a terrifying truth. If you know that you absolve yourself from sin by making excuses and downplaying it, then this is your warning to stop. If you are one who professes to believe in and follow God; sin is to be hated not tolerated in your life. If you know you have been doing this, then you can repent today. You do not have to become untrustworthy, troublesome, deceitful or foolish. In order to be made right with God, you must, ‘reject sin’ for evil and holiness cannot co-exist. You are fooling yourself if you think this is possible. You can admit your wrongdoing and confess your sin to God, and be forgiven. Then God can then restore you to righteousness. 

After these verses on excusing sin, David speaks of the greatness of God. This is in order to remind you why living with Him is a much better way than living with sin. Those who seek righteousness have the marvellous privilege of being able to enter into relationship with God. Those who pursue evil do not. They miss out on getting to know God, who is; steadfast in His love, faithful, righteous and just. Yet if you live God’s way and get to know Him you will get to know that; you’re always loved, you have everlasting companionship, you’ll get trustworthy guidance, and you will be shown truth and justice. God's love is secure and encompasses everything He is; faithful and righteous, fair and just, wants to save you and all that you love, protects and restores you, provides for you, sustains and refreshes you. 

Are you living knowing the good of these things? Or are you missing out because of unresolved sin? 

David has written this psalm showing the danger of sinful acts contrasting with the beauty of God for you cannot have both in your life. God is good, loving, pure, holy and right, therefore He cannot be in the presence of evil and wickedness. So the enticement from David is to show you how wonderful God is, as surely you want these attributes in your life as they are so much better than any enjoyment, peace or comfort that transgression can impart. David invites you to put an end to sin and seek God as there is a way for every sinner to become righteous and good. It does require effort and humility but the steadfastness of God’s love, His loyalty, righteousness, truth and justice are freely available for all. You can know and receive boundless love, kindness, favour and direction from the Lord. God made a way for you to do that when you confess sin and ask for forgiveness. So any barrier to you getting to know God is gone. God poured out the punishment for your transgressions and sin upon His son, Jesus as he died. Jesus was punished and put to death for all wickedness. In his last moments Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This applied to those around him then as much as it does for you and the rest of mankind! Sometimes you don’t know what you’re doing or why, but you are stuck in unhealthy attitudes and actions. When you look to Jesus, you can know that he spoke those words over you too. You can be forgiven. Your sin has been crucified with Christ so that you can know the presence of God and His goodness in your life. 

If you know that you are forgiven and free, and you have been living knowing His presence, then, you can still get things wrong. So ask God to not let, ‘the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away’. I love that this is at the end, for we can all get to know how great it is to have God in our lives, but let us not get proud about it, or cocky as we need the constant reminder to keep away from evil in order to remain righteous. As great and awesome as God is, we can forget it and get lost in our walk through life, losing touch with Him and who we are meant to be, so let not arrogance or evil come into your life but, ‘watch your life and your doctrine closely’ (1 Timothy 4:16).

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.