Psalm 53 &54

i have been going through the book of psalms for quite sometime now. refusing to just read it and move on in order to fulfill some imaginary requirement, but rather really trying to figure out what the psalmist is saying, and not only that but trying to imagine what he was going through and how it affected his prayer life and/or worship. today something caught my attention and made me sit here and share it.

i have read these particular psalms several times, but i seemed to be getting distracted, so i came back to read them yet again and finally i was able to get more out of it, i was finally able to notice some things, the text spoke to me, in a special way.

psalm 51 of course everyone has read a million times, yet i always learn something from it. psalm 52 seems very judgmental and harsh with descriptions of evil men and how God will ultimately judge them. but I believe that the ultimate "sin" described in this psalm is trusting in your great wealth, and growing strong by destroying others (v7).

psalm 53 begins with a description of a fool, as someone who says in his heart that God does not exist. more descriptions follow, this time of evildoers, and what caught my eye was the last part of verse 4 and verse 5. "… and who do not call on God? 5 There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread." do we sometimes fit into this description? sure we may not devour "people as men eat bread" but do we become overwhelmed with dread when there is nothing to dread? is it because we do not call on God? on psalm 54:4 the psalmist states that "surely God is my help; the Lord is the one Who sustains me." the description of the righteous here does not mention actions, but rather trust.

it would seem to me that these few psalms here differentiate between the wicked and the righteous not so much by their actions but mostly by in whom they trust. who you trust and who you believe in will ultimately affect your actions. Sure the wicked men do many things, but that is because they say in their hearts "there is no God". i would suggest that their actions are not the problem, not the root of it at least. but rather the fact that they do not trust in God. while the righteous, though they may stumble and fall, and at times act in a way they should not, they repent and turn to God for help, i.e. Psalm 51.

on psalm 54, the psalmist cries out for deliverance not because he is a good person and deserves it, but rather because his God is a loving, mighty God Who listens to the prayers of sinners. it appears that ultimately the ruin of man is not making mistakes (sinning) for even the righteous do it at times, but rather it is not turning to God in repentance for help and forgiveness.

the Lord will sustain you because He loves you, not because you deserve it. and the wicked will not be destroyed because of their bad actions, but rather for rejecting God. sure the actions show what you believe, but they are not the root of the problem, only a reflection of it.

focus on Who is your help, and Who sustains you. let your actions serve as a thermometer, if you will, of where your heart is, and work on your heart. love God with all your heart and invite Him in to change it, trust in Him, He loves you. and do not be "overwhelmed with dread, where there is nothing to dread." That is for those who say in their hearts "there is no God".

 

now go back and read psalm 51 again, and see if these ideas fit.