March 14, 2011

Psalm 58 (Click to see scripture)

Bible in One Year Passages:
Matthew 25:1-13, Romans 7:13-25, Numbers 27-28

Journal Entry

Scripture

v. 2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth.
v. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
v. 4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
v. 5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter.
v. 6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!
v. 10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
v. 11 Mankind will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous;surely there is a God who judges on earth."

Observation

David is concerned with the injustice caused in the land. In fact, he's angered by wickedness in the hearts of people that devise wrong and bring upon violence on the earth (v.2). He equates the very act of the wicked like that of a serpent's venom which destroy once it bites into another (v.4). Thus, he pleads to God to break the very teeth and fangs that tend to destroy; the very weapon that will harm once it strikes (v.6). He prays to bring upon justice to the innocent and the righteous. For David, he understood that God is the judge who can bring upon justice for the righteous. He understood that the earth belonged to God, thus He is the only One who can bring about justice upon the earth in which He created.

David understood evil. He knew how destructive men can get once they encounter evil. However, if David understood the calamities of evil (a man after God's own heart), how much more would God detest sin? If a man after God's own heart could not stand injustice, how much more would God's heart break for those who stray from Him? David pleads with God for he realizes that only God can bring about change in the hearts of men.

Application

There are two things that come to mind from today's passage.

1. God hates sin. He cannot stand it. It breaks His heart when I sin.
2. I tend to take sin too lightly. Although I know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), I tend to gloss over the very thing that breaks God's heart.

I need to understand God's heart in everything I say and do. I need to understand that my sinful words and actions can destroy the innocent and the righteous. And ultimately, I can easily draw away from God.

Prayer

Father, may I learn to walk in righteousness. May I detest wickedness of my own heart. And when I do sin and fall short of Your glory, may I look to the very cross where Jesus died to find grace and forgiveness which was freely given on my behalf, and yet so costly on Your Son.

--p. caleb