“Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, So drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly” (vs1-2)
We want all opposition to Christ to fail (vs1-2). He says, “Let the wicked perish at the presence of God”. We are not praying that men perish and die; we want them saved. But, like our Lord, if they continue in rebellion, we want them justly punished, and we want their schemes to fail. We want God and righteousness to win; we want His people to prosper, and we want a reward for those who obey. We are saying, “Don't let evil win, but punish them righteously”.
If you repent, this won't be you. But, if you refuse to turn, then you are among those the Son did not pray for, but rather determines to destroy in His wrath. He says, “I pray for them, I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me for they are Yours” (John 17:9). Don't think God is a pacifist who couldn't hurt a fly; He is a judge and a punisher of men.
Secondly, we rejoice before God because He is just and righteous, holy and good, punishing the evil and rewarding the righteous (vs3-6). He says, “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly... A father of the fatherless, a defender of widow, is God in His holy habitation”. He is the Savior of sinners, a promise keeping God, and being in Christ, we're to rejoice in His bounty to us. He says, “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him”.
We are not wicked unbelievers rebelling against His rule, but we have submitted to Him as sinners, obtained mercy in the blood of the Son, and we've been given power from on high, after admitting that our strength was insufficient and non-existent. He says, “O God, when You went out before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, the earth shook; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God... You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed Your inheritance, when it was weary. Your congregation dwelt in it; You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor”. God has been good to us, saving us from sin, Satan, and hell. He put us in the Book of Life and cares for us daily, providing and doing all that we need. He cares for us graciously, receives us continually, and helps us mightily to conquer. We have rich and precious promises of future good and present grace, so we are RIGHT to rejoice. Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4)
He commands joy, but He gives us plenty of reasons, and as we look to Christ in the gospel, we are cheered and encouraged amidst the pain of sin and persecution. We are more than conquerors, so we rejoice now. We are absolutely victorious and eternally blessed, so we joy in God by whom we've received the atonement, rejoicing in His promise of good. The child of God, by the gospel, has reason to be joyful, and we're to consider Christ and rejoice indeed.
Finally, God's choice is made: Jesus Christ is His dwelling place and the Church (vs11-16). He says, “A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan (fruitful); a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan. Why do you fume with envy, you mountains of many peaks? This is the mountain which God desires to dwell in; yes, the Lord will dwell in it forever”. He will bless us from His holy and fruitful habitation, even the gospel of the risen Christ. You may be included, but envious resistance gets you nowhere (Mark 15:10). Don't fight the Son of God's authority, but BOW to Him and be blessed. He has chosen where He will dwell and whom He'll bless. He has chosen the way that we should go, promising that the righteous prosper. Do not be angry that holiness and grace are the commands. Don't despise the Lord because He is good and gives to whom He will. Take the water of life freely, for He's chosen to save in Jesus Christ and what He did for God's elect, redeeming us from sin. He has chosen to bless FAITH, so that He dwells in power where faith relies upon and believes Him. He has chosen the Church, the ground of the truth. And, He's chosen to dwell in eternity, not giving heaven on earth, but waiting until this world and life is over. Choose what He's chosen and be happy that you're saved by grace. Don't envy and destroy yourself, even as the Pharisees who murdered Jesus because they envied His power and purity.
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