Psalms 58:1 says, To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David. After the introduction, verse one says, Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? This was written before David became king. David asked if the people of Israel, especially the religious leaders, really spoke righteousness and judged uprightly. This is a question we as Christians should ask ourselves everyday. Verse two adds, Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. David went beyond questioning the actions of the people and said that they had wickedness and violence in their hearts. God judges us not only by our actions but by our attitude as well. Verse three declares, The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. David said that the wicked are that way from the womb and go astray as soon as they are born. I believe that we are born with the ability to sin, but that we are not really guilty of sin until we are old enough to make a personal choice as to whether we will choose to do what is right or what is wrong. Verse four adds, Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; David said that those who chose to do evil were as deadly as serpents. Those who refuse to acknowledge God and obey His laws are indeed more deadly than serpents, because if they get people to follow them, it is the soul of a person that is condemned unless that person turns to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse five continues, Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. David said that like a deaf adder, these people could not be charmed by the voice of the charmers. This does not mean that God's word is some sort of charm to lure people in, but is simply used as an illustration of how obstinate the people were. They would stop up their ears to keep from listening to God's word. Verse six states, Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. David asked God to break the teeth of those who would destroy His people. David referred to the adder and the young lion, but it was the evil people around him that he was really referring to. God has already broken the power of those who would destroy us spiritually if we continue to put our faith in Jesus Christ. Verse seven adds, Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. David continues to ask God to destroy those who work evil in the world. Even if it doesn't happen in this lifetime, those who refuse the salvation that God has provided will be sent away into everlasting destruction. Verse eight continues, As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. David compared the destruction of the evil to a snail, which Matthew Henry says leaves a little of itself behind in its trail, slowly destroying itself. David also said that these wicked people would be better off if they did not live beyond the womb. We know that those who never put their faith in Jesus Christ slowly destroy themselves chasing lies, and they probably would have been better of if they hadn't lived much past their birth. Verse nine says, Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. David said that like the pot before it felt the heat of the thorns lit to heat the pot, or quickly in other words, that God would take away the evil. Even if someone lives a very long life without accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, from a perspective of eternity, they will be sent away quickly to everlasting punishment. Verse ten declares, The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. David said that the righteous would rejoice at the destruction of the evil and wash their feet of the blood of the wicked. I personally don't believe that we as Christians should rejoice at the destruction of wicked, evil people, but should be saddened that they are going to be forever separated from God and His mercy. Still, as long as we witness to them, their blood is not on our hands or under our feet. Verse eleven adds, So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. David said that the people of the world would say that there is a reward for the righteous and that God judges the earth. This is true, but we must remember that it is our acceptance of the righteousness of Christ that makes this true. We cannot stand innocent before God based on our own righteousness, because as God said, there is none righteous. The only person to ever live a totally righteous life was Jesus Christ, and the only way for a person to be made righteous is to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment