Do
good, O LORD, unto those that are good and to them that are upright in their
hearts. As for such as turn aside unto
their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity;
Peace be upon Israel. (vs4-5)
God’s peace is only
upon Israel, those with uprightness of heart.
He describes a people saved and protected, whom He doesn’t allow
wickedness to rule, “for the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted
to the righteous, lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity” (vs3).
Satan wanted to cut Peter
down, ruin him, and get him away from the gospel, but the Lord prayed for him,
kept him from quitting, and sent him to recover others by the strength that he
received (Luke 22:31-32). It is our lot in life to be tempted, but NEVER too
much… to fall, but NEVER to fall from grace.
He doesn’t give us more than we can handle. He says, “They that trust in
the LORD shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abides for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem,
so the LORD is round about His people from henceforth, even for ever. (vs1-2)” He is a wall of fire, an unfailing Savior,
and Someone who rules the enemy of sin, giving help continually. He saves by
stopping the enemy from doing too much, and by forgiving us, giving us repentance,
and then rewarding our faith.
We
are upright because Christ made us so (vs4). He says, “Do
good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in heart”. We started out wicked, dead in sins, but
faith justifies us and receives the Spirit (Gal 3:1-14). We believe that we are saved by grace, and
this causes us to live uprightly by the power that He gives. We are pure in heart, because we see grace in
God, and so we are gracious to others.
He says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God. Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the sons of God” (Matt 5:7-9). We delight to show mercy, because we’ve
obtained so much. Like Paul, we’re
motivated by God’s election, Christ’s blood of redemption, and the undeserved
power that the Spirit continually gives.
These privileges and others make us respond properly, and this response pleases
God, “but without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek
Him” (Heb 11:6). He calls faith’s work uprightness, and this is found in everyone
that He calls good.
Count your blessings,
which include newness of life. Sin is a
great wickedness in you, but your forgiveness is real from God, and you are
given love thereby. Receive these
promises because you’ve received Christ who makes you good.
Finally,
however, the wicked are not blessed of God, and it is foolish to think that He
is FOR you while you live in sin (vs5). He says, “As for
such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with
the workers of iniquity”. He shall
destroy them. Your relationship with Christ must be according to His word (the
bible), for He gave it to express His will, so that we can please Him (2 Tim
3:15-17). Rejecting Christ is not safe ground; it enrages God that sinners
rebel against His Son, and He isn’t for you, but against.
He is no “nice old
man in the sky” who doesn’t judge people.
He is the One who punishes sinners eternally, and He is angry even
now. He says, “God is a just judge, and
God is angry with the wicked every day. If
he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it
ready. He also prepares for Himself
instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts” (Ps 7:11-13). He doesn’t treat men the same, but He makes
distinctions between saved and lost, Israel and the wicked of this world. He is
not for you, unless He saves you from sin by grace.
God loves and cares
for Israel alone, and He hates the wicked.
Which one are you? Under wrath or
blessed with power over sin?
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