Discerning Right from Wrong in a Broken World
The contrast is immense. But what if you don’t notice it anymore? Well, it may be an issue with contrast sensitivity that affects us as we age. You might be able to read the chart at the eye doctor, but if you begin to have trouble seeing at night or have trouble distinguishing facial features, you might need to go back to the eye doctor and tell him what you are experiencing. All this I learned while reading an article in AARP. (Reading for a friend, of course!)
In Psalm 36, David opens with a description of the wicked. Here are some of the traits of the wicked:
Transgression speaks to their hearts.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
They flatter themselves or justify their behavior, suggesting that their sin can’t be seen.
They speak words of trouble and deceit.
They cease to act wisely and do good.
They lie in bed scheming and then get out of bed and set their course to what they dreamed up to do next.
They no longer reject evil.
Naturally, we can all think of some people we might know who are like that. We often point to the people we disagree with as most of the people that are like that. And sadly, what we miss is that we are all like that. Paul reminds us in Romans that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.
The good news, of course, is that when we turn to Jesus, acknowledging our sin, and obediently surrender to God’s mercy and grace, we are forgiven and the work of transformation has begun in our hearts and minds. And the more we grow in Christ, the more we can discern what is true and pure and honorable and of God.
David makes a dramatic shift in verses five through ten, but note that David does not give us a description of a wise and godly person. Instead he gives us a description of God himself:
God’s love extends to the heavens.
God’s faithfulness extends to the clouds.
God’s righteousness is like the mountains He created.
God’s judgments are as deep as the ocean.
God chooses to save man and beast.
God’s love is precious.
God’s children take refuge under his wings.
God’s children feast on the abundance of His house.
God’s children drink from the river of His delights.
God is light and in His light we can see light.
There is a vast and compelling difference between the sinner, any sinner, all sinners, and who God is. His perfection reveals our lostness and our brokenness.
There is an unwritten cautionary tale in between the first four verses and all the verses that follow. We need to be careful as to whether we will choose to listen to and follow those who follow God and those who may cleverly, and sometimes not so cleverly, think they have a better plan and a better way for us. I think we find the hint of this temptation in David’s prayer in verses 11 and 12.
David prayed:
“Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.”
In other words, David prayed that God would continue to pour out his steadfast love and his righteousness on his heart so that the arrogance of sin and sinful people would not come upon him and cause David to pull away from God. If one who was known as a man after God’s own heart can struggle with that temptation then so can we.
Father, when we consider our former life of sin, we are astounded that you chose to love us and send your son to die for us so that we might live. We confess that when we fail to read your word and stay in communion with you and with other believers, we can easily be drawn to the ways of the world. Forgive us. Today we pray that you would fill our hearts with your loving presence that we would be able to clearly discern your voice that calls us and guides us, even in the broken world that we live in. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Psalm 36:1-12 ESV
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