PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Psalm 58
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” (Psalm 58:11)
The wicked described here are cruel, greedy, violent selfish liars and abusers.
The righteous are their victims, those who reject these cruel and corrupt ways.
It is dangerous to extend these categories to our sides vs the other sides.
As if my people are the righteous, and all others are the wicked.
In today’s polarized world we tend to demonize the other… and claim God on our side.
To be righteous is to be committed to being just, fair, compassionate, merciful.
To be wicked is to do the opposite, to lack love, compassion, fairness, mercy.
There are righteous and wicked on all sides, and no side is pure and innocent.
The challenge of this song comes to people on all sides: “do not destroy!” (58:1)
As a Christian, I hear many Christians talk as if they are the righteous.
But there are many Christians who sadly practice these destructive ways as well.
God sees beyond our labels to the true condition of our hearts and practices.
He sees the righteous atheist and the unrighteous Christian, and knows the difference.
There is a God that knows the motives of our hearts.; God will judge all sides fairly!
PRAYER
Lord, no one is perfectly righteous, but you know our hearts, whether we long for what is loving or cruel. Reward the humble righteous, and bring an end to wickedness.
“…surely there is a God who judges the earth.” the Psalmist rants heavily on punishment for the wicked and he concludes that it God who judges. I thank God that that is so. It is not up to mankind to judge but it is up to mankind to follow the ways of God. The same standard applies to all – it is God who will judge. We can judge and we do see the result of wicked activity – of crime and we do ‘try’ people based on the laws that are established – beginning with the basics in the 10 Commandments. But Jesus expands that in the beatitudes and it becomes of loving practices – of humbleness and not of power. Lord help me not to judge but instead to discern. That I might see evil and seek to not only avoid it but also help somehow the victims that are caught up in it – to get them out of it. For as the Psalmist says, God is the judge!
There is none who are righteous.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Praise the Lord that we do not get what we/I deserve for I break His commands every day. He is merciful. Thank You Jesus that I am made right with God. My sins are forgiven. And as God has been merciful to me so I to need to merciful to others showing the love of God.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing, I will sing,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness, Thy faithfulness,
With my mouth will I make known
Thy faithfulness to all generations,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.