Thoughts for another day

June 28, 2012.

Today's verse: Ps. 139:21. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The above Word in Ps. 139 is an enigma and a moving away from the general theme of the psalm, where David so beautifully expresses God's greatness for His all encompassing knowledge and His omnipresence which are so precious to David; who enjoyed the protection of the Lord in its fullest.  And then the theme suddenly changes to David desiring the destruction of the wicked.  Why, would David do that?  I believe it emanates from David's deep love for God and His purposes. 

David understood God well which is why he is known to be a man after God's own heart and this can't be said of you unless you understand the essence of God's heart.  David knew how beautiful God is; how tremendous His thoughts are and how lovely His works, and he describes that in the earlier portion of the psalm.  When a man gets to know God so intimately, he loves God with all his heart, his mind and strength and he experiences God's goodness and greatness.  He is able to sit with God and worship Him in spirit and truth.  Therefore, when anyone says anything against God, he is incensed to move and even kill the person (we of course don't do that as the very love we have for God also makes us love that person) just as Phinehas, in his zeal for God, slayed a man who had married a Midianite woman against God's wishes and God acknowledged it by giving him, His covenant of peace – Nu. 25:6ff. 

What I've said here might make you wonder about the God we serve, but remember God is so holy and blameless that, even as much as a single comment against Him, can turn the maker of the comment to dust instantly.  If you know Him you also do not want to offend Him for you feel terrible when you offend Him knowing He is such a beautiful God and it makes it even worse because you know how much He loves you.   In the wake of such knowledge, it's impossible for any person who loves God, not be agitated when someone ridicules or insults Him or does anything against Him – even if later we pray for that person and seek God's pardon for him.  In this vein, David's ending to the psalm reflects His deep anguish at the hate the wicked have for God and in turn, he hates them for it.