Verses 1-4 outline the life of one who chooses to forsake God:
He loves sinful living- "Transgression" ( rebellion, revolt) "speaks" (whispers) "to the ungodly" ( the wicked, condemned, guilty) "within" ( in the center of, through.. his heart, his bowels, his self) "his heart" ( his mind, his feelings, his will, his courage, his understanding, his intellect). He is eaten up within his very being with rebellion and wickedness, and he loves it.
"There is no fear of God before his eyes." It doesn't alarm him to flaunt his sins before God. He doesn't dread judgement, doesn't allow himself to even consider the facts. He is willfully ignorant of Who God is.
"For it flatters him in his own eyes." He is master of his own fate... and he thinks he has the last word.
He speaks wickedness. He lies. He is foolish. He does no good. Nothing that makes others well, nothing that is sound and beautiful, nothing accepted and beneficial, nothing earnest and favorable, nothing kind and cheerful. In fact, all he can think of at night is what evil he will do next. He has gone down the road to evil and he is happy to keep on going.
" He sets himself on a path that is not good." Once we choose to start down the road to rebellion and sin, it begins to consume us from the inside out. We don't think about the end result... that eventually the choice we made will cause us to fall, that we will be "thrust down" and unable to rise. ( v12)
Over and over this is the warning that God has given to this world. Choose life! Choose truth! Choose Christ! Forsake sin, repent from sin, flee from temptations, resist the devil... don't start down that path... the end is destruction! Choose to know God and to fear Him!
Verses 5-10 outline the Truth about God, truths that we need to KNOW and receive into our hearts.
His lovingkindness "extends to the heavens," God is a God of unlimited love and kindness!
"Thy faithfulness reaches to the skies." God is firm, secure, stable, steady, true, and faithful. He is a God we can trust. A God we can lean on, count on, and rest in!
"Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God;" God is perfectly just, perfectly right, perfectly virtuous , perfectly moral. He will never do wrong. He will never fail to be right.
"Thy judgements are like a great deep." Because His righteousness is as high as the mountains, we can count on His judgements to be as deep as the sea. He will always judge correctly. He will always pronounce the correct sentence, He will always punish the crime, the sin, the debt, with the perfect judgement.
"O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast." Our God is safe. He will deliver, defend, save, rescue, avenge and be victorious.
"How precious is Thy lovingkindness O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house. and Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. For with Thee is the fountain of life; In Thy light we see light."
As we choose to follow Christ, the truth begins to shine clearer and clearer in our hearts. He is faithful; His is righteous; He is loving and kind; He will help us. He will deliver us. He will be our refuge. He will delight us with life and light and love. This is a "good" path to choose. Therefore David prays, and we pray with him:
"O continue Thy lovingkindness to those who know Thee;
And Thy righteousness to the upright in heart.
Let not the foot of pride come upon me;
And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away."
Father in heaven, we honor Your Name! We know You are holy and righteous, faithful and just. We know You have shown us mercy and love, giving us salvation through Jesus Christ , our Lord.
Thank You for rescuing us from the path of wickedness. Thank You for not letting us be driven away by our own wrong choices, but forgiving us from our sins and granting to us Your righteousness in Christ Jesus. Thank You for revealing the Truth in Your Word. And for giving the Holy Spirit to illuminate our path towards You. To see You in Your majesty and power and glory... to bow before You in holy awe. We praise and worship You alone!
Amen
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