Psalm 50:14-18
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." 16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
It is sobering to note that the "wicked" that God refers to in verse 16 are not mere pagans, but religious people who can quote verses ("recite my statutes") but who "cast my words behind you" (verse 17). Just knowing about God is not enough. If we claim to be a Christian but then look at porn or fantasize about sexual encounters, we fit the description of those who "keep company with adulterers" (verse 18). How do we get to such a lost place? Verse 17 says to those in sin: "you hate discipline". This is a sad but accurate description of a rebellious spirit. This is describing the kind of person who wants the blessings of God but also celebrates thieves and adulterers (verse 18). God is calling each of us to discipline, to surrender our will to His, and when we refuse, we are casting His words behind us (verse 17), i.e. we are choosing to ignore His commands. In that way we can justify keeping company with adulterers and partaking of other sins. What God wants is for us to give Him the place He deserves in our lives, with His words before us, and us bringing a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" (verses 14) to Him.
Lord, teach me to love Your discipline.
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." 16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers.
It is sobering to note that the "wicked" that God refers to in verse 16 are not mere pagans, but religious people who can quote verses ("recite my statutes") but who "cast my words behind you" (verse 17). Just knowing about God is not enough. If we claim to be a Christian but then look at porn or fantasize about sexual encounters, we fit the description of those who "keep company with adulterers" (verse 18). How do we get to such a lost place? Verse 17 says to those in sin: "you hate discipline". This is a sad but accurate description of a rebellious spirit. This is describing the kind of person who wants the blessings of God but also celebrates thieves and adulterers (verse 18). God is calling each of us to discipline, to surrender our will to His, and when we refuse, we are casting His words behind us (verse 17), i.e. we are choosing to ignore His commands. In that way we can justify keeping company with adulterers and partaking of other sins. What God wants is for us to give Him the place He deserves in our lives, with His words before us, and us bringing a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" (verses 14) to Him.
Lord, teach me to love Your discipline.