Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

descending out of heaven from God.” (Rev. 21:10) Through out the ages God has protected those who put their trust in Him.

II

THE WICKED - 3- Zion’s Struggle

“The wicked will not rule the godly, for then the godly might be forced to do wrong.” (3) “For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous, so that the righteous will not put forth their hands to do wrong.” (NAS) ‘“The rod of wickedness” is the heathen scepter, and “the righteous” (the godly) are the Israelites who hold fast to the religion of their fathers.’ 1 This verse reinforces the thought that the psalm was composed during a time of foreign domination over Israel. Although the rod of oppression might be over his peo- ple the Lord promises that it will not rest or remain there permanently. In the history of the Israelites and of the church, God has used the scepter of the wicked to correct his people and prepare them for his future purposes. He promises that the temptation to sin during the times of oppression will not last beyond the per- son’s ability to endure. Though the possibility is there to give in to the wickedness, if we seek him, he will help us: “If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” (1 Cor. 10:12, 13) 1. The Good- “O Lord, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you.”(4) These are ones mentioned in the first verse; “those who trust in the Lord”. A life of faith leads to a life of faithfulness to God and the fruit of goodness: “A good person produces good words from a good heart…(Mt. 12:34) A heart that is in tune with God vibrates on the same frequency; there is harmony and grace in all that they do. 2. The Crooked- “But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord.” (5) This is a class of per- sons who had at one time been in agreement with the Lord and his ways but the long season of op- pression by the ungodly had eroded their resistance to evil and they began living deceitful lives. They become morally bent and out of tune. The scripture describes the ‘crooked’ as having: a. A Crooked heart- “The crooked heart will not prosper;…” (Pr. 7:20) b. Crooked Words- “Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.” (Ps. 36:3) c. A Crooked Path- “The guilty walk a crooked path…” (Pr. 21:8) d. A Crooked Life- “You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people.” (Phil. 2:15) 3. The Evil- “Take them away with those who do evil.” (5) The ‘evil’ class of people has never at- tempted to live for the Lord, they spend their entire existence resisting everything that has to do with God and his love. This psalm teaches us to aim higher, to leave the evil ways and crooked paths and ‘as- cend’ with a song of worship to Mount Zion. There is a fearful end to the “wicked” and those who have been twisted into following their path; they are removed: “Take them away…” (5) Jesus said at the end of time it will be like the days of Noah, evil people will be “taken away”: “People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the Flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.” (Mt. 24:39, 40) III THOSE WHO TURN TO CROOKED WAYS - 4, 5- Zion’s Triumph Three groups of people and their character traits are mentioned in these finishing verses of the psalm:

“And let Israel have quietness and peace.” (5)

This is first an interior peace during the time when the wicked are ruling over the godly but then moves to an exterior peace after the wicked are “taken away” . Peace is our ‘gift’ from God that sustains us through every trial and difficulty. Life has a special excellence when we are blessed to live in times of outward and inward peace as prayed for here. ‘Peace is the end of tyranny, hostility, dismemberment,

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