Psalm 58
I think
Psalm 58 is a great psalm to follow Psalm 57.
So much of the imagery is similar, but from a different
perspective. Again we have a reference
to humanity as young lions. Again we
have a reference to mouths filled with sharp teeth. It seems as though this psalm is also meant
to focus us on the ways that we can devour one another if we are not careful.
However,
David pushes the envelope a bit further in this psalm. Look at the scathing remark that David lays
out against humanity in verse 3. The
wicked are estranged from the womb at birth, going astray from birth while
speaking lies. At birth!
Now, this
is not a concept that is really all that strange to people who accept the
spiritual truth of God’s Word. The Bible
teaches that all people are in need of God’s grace. We are taught that there is not even one
person who is righteous apart from the blood of Jesus Christ. In fact, as cute as little babies can be –
the innate self-centeredness of humanity can be seen just as clearly in an
infant than anywhere else.
Did you
know that among mammals, the human is the most inept of species at birth? Look at other animals. In most animals the young can walk from
moments after birth. In those that can’t
walk, they can usually crawl up into a marsupial pouch or onto their mother’s
back. What can human infants do for
themselves? Our brains are not yet fully
formed and many of our bones haven’t even been joined together!
Then there
is the whole feed me, change me, pick me up, put me down, let me sleep, pace
the floor with me routine. Don’t get me
wrong. Most parents I know are happy – in
the long-run, at least – to care for their children. But the reality is that the baby is
inherently self-centered. In fact,
science tells us that babies don’t even recognize the existence of anything but
themselves for several months! Babies
don’t retain a concept of people existing outside of their view for quite some
time. In other words, babies know who
you are and recognize you when you are in their line of sight. But when you go out of their line of sight
they don’t think about whether or not you exist. They just know you aren’t “present” anymore.
Forgive my
foray into infant psychology there, but I think this really does tie in with
what David is saying. Our nature is sin,
our flesh is corrupt. It is that way
from birth. We need Christ from birth –
whether we can recognize it or not!
Thus, David can say with genuine sincerity that wickedness and evil
begins among us at birth.
As has
been consistently true about the psalms, it is good to see where David turns as
he works through his situation. Of
course, he turns to God! Look at the
middle of the psalm. David recognizes
that it is God who blunts the arrows of the enemy. It is God who defangs those who seek to harm
us. It is God who dissolves their evil
ways.
Even as I
write those words and know the truth of them, I stand convicted of them. Yes, I know that it is fully God upon whom I
should rely. I know that God is capable
of protecting me like no other, even myself!
But do I always live like it? How
often do I try and save myself without looking to Christ first? It is sad to confess, but I am guilty of
forgetting to turn to God from time to time.
Again we have an opportunity to thank God for His forgiveness and His
deliverance.
This is a
great place to turn to the end of the psalm.
The righteous will rejoice at the work of the Lord. Even the difficult and horrible work of God’s
judgment will cause the righteous to rejoice.
The Lord is righteous in all His ways.
The Lord is just in all of His decrees.
The Lord is perfect in every way – even the ways that we fail to
understand.
That’s an
interesting place to stop for the day.
We as human beings are corrupt from moment one. God is righteous forever. We have no reason to think we should be able
to dwell in God’s presence. But He loves
us anyway. He embraces us. He makes it possible for us to find our way
out of the evil of humanity and into His ways.
God is indeed great!
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