Today's reading: Psalm 14, Hebrews 5:7-10
For many years while in my
devotional time, this Psalm was one I would dismiss, for I always thought it
had nothing to do with me, after reading its title: “Folly and Wickedness of Men”.
In the first verse we read: “The [spiritually ignorant] fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed repulsive and unspeakable deeds; There is no one who does good.” (14:1 in the AMP)
“It speaks about the foolishness
of an atheist”, I
would think. Then it struck me, for I
was sounding as a passage we find in Luke 18:11:
“The
Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way,
saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of
men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector.” (AMP)
Yes, sadly I recognised I’ve acted not like a child of God but as that arrogant Pharisee!
In the Bible when something or someone is referenced
to being "foolish", this means that this person is "someone who
disregards God's word". How many times have I taken God’s word for
granted, and have followed “my ways”, instead of being submissive an obedient,
disregarding His word and or precepts?
“Practical denial or neglect of His working in
the world, rather than a creed of negation, is in the psalmist’s mind. In
effect, we say that there is no God when we shut Him up in a far-off heaven,
and never think of Him as concerned in our affairs. To strip Him of His justice
and rob Him of His control is the part of a fool. For the Biblical conception
of folly is moral perversity rather than intellectual feebleness, and whoever
is morally and religiously wrong cannot be in reality intellectually right.” (Maclaren)
The phrasing
of “said in his heart”, in this
first verse also means “what he thinks”… that is to say, that one may
believe in God in theory, yet be a practical atheist in the way he
lives. Most of us before surrendering our life to Jesus were in that situation;
we had our “personal” beliefs and or religion and thought we were “good people”. Sadly this is also the condition of our
family members and friends, who are not saved!
In the
following verses 14:2-3, we read:
“The Lord has looked down from heaven
upon the children of me to see if there are any who understand (act wisely), Who [truly] seek after God, [longing
for His wisdom and guidance]. 3 They
have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good,
not even one.”
Someone who is leaning on his own
merits and or religion will not seek God unless he is in a desperate situation,
waiting to receive His favor through rituals and practices, as if He were the
genie of a lamp! This person is not seeking the True God of the Bible but
seeking an idol, and as a consequence he “does no good”! (Romans 3:10)
“What a picture of our race is this! Save only where
grace reigns, there is none that doeth good; humanity, fallen and debased, is a
desert without an oasis, a night without a star, a dunghill without a jewel, a
hell without a bottom.” (Spurgeon)
As we continue reading in the next final verses David mentions he and God’s people are surrounded by enemies and persecutors,
but he also realizes: “For God is with the [consistently] righteous generation. (v.5b) and “… the Lord is his safe refuge.”
(v.6b) Yes, let's not lose hope, He is in control!
David closes this
Psalm by expressing his great longing that God would bring the victory and
deliverance He had promised to His people; here “captivity” is used in a general sense, speaking of any time or
situation where God’s people are oppressed and bound. This Victory from captivity was given to
us only through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Oh what love our heavenly Father has for us!
Jesus said in Luke
4:18,19
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the
Messiah), because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor. He
has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the
captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are
oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy), 19 to proclaim
the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of
God abound greatly].”
Let us pray: Thank you Heavenly Father for your Saving Grace through the Sacrifice of Your Precious Son, Jesus! Thank you for Your Word which is alive and active (Heb. 4.12); may I use it diligently to seek you and worship you. May I keep it in my heart so I can share it with boldness to those who are still captive in their sins! That they too, may know You as their Deliverer and their Safe Refuge! In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
Mari
