Envious of the Wicked

When things aren't going well, I often share the pessimism of the psalmist:

For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 73:3

But in that same chapter, God provides the hope that He is just and good:

But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin. (16-18)

We must be confident that the wicked will be punished for their ways, but God's people will find peace and utter contentment.

Cherishing Iniquity

The phrase that really struck me in this passage is verse 18: "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." As fallen humans, we will always have iniquity in our hearts, but the warning here is not about that, but about our attitude toward that iniquity: do we abhor it and want to change or do we embrace it and let it reign in our hearts? The consequence of not turning from iniquity is that our prayers will not be heard. Peter similarly warns husbands in 1 Peter 3:7. Can we afford to have our prayers ignored by God?

Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
I cried to him with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
he has attended to the voice of my prayer.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

Be encouraged in your singleness that God wants you to find a woman who fears the Lord. No woman is perfect, but a woman who fears God will seek forgiveness for her sins, receive grace from the Lord, and will express the humility that makes her soul beautiful and a lovely wife.

10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

- Proverbs 31

Remembering the Goal

When you are feeling discouraged, remember Christ's words at the Sermon on the Mount. The world may bring you troubles, but as believers those troubles are only temporary in view of his eternal kingdom.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When You Run Out of Answers

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.

Our Position before God

Psalm 51 is a psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba. The feeling of guilt upon David is heavy and he wants to be free of it. In verses 16-17 he understands what God really wants from him and, by extension, all of us:

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

All Things Come from Him

In this Psalm, we see that the Israelites fate on the battlefield was determined completely by the Lord. It was God's right hand and arm, and the light of his face that gave them victory.

In our lives it is the same: everything is from the Lord. All things come from his hand. This Psalm reminds us to be humble about our abilities and accomplishments.

O God, we have heard with our ears,
our fathers have told us,
what deeds you performed in their days,
in the days of old:
you with your own hand drove out the nations,
but them you planted;
you afflicted the peoples,
but them you set free;
for not by their own sword did they win the land,
nor did their own arm save them,
but your right hand and your arm,
and the light of your face,
for you delighted in them.