Live what we say

DEVOTION

PSALMS

LIVE WHAT WE SAY

Ps 50:16-23

16 But to the wicked, God says:

"What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20 You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face.

22 "Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: 23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

NIV

Having looked at the first fifteen verses already which spoke about the righteous, we need to see how God deals with the wicked. It seems sad this is their fate, but then they have sealed their own fate by their way of thinking and consequently living. What is interesting is they might even appear to be religious. This first question to them from God gives us the impression they are people who what to look like they are spiritual, but in fact live for their own desires. They say they believe in God, but hate to live according to his word. They might even cherry pick a few scriptures to justify what they think those scriptures mean. But in reality they merely want to do whatever they want to do. They throw their lot in with the rest of the world, living as an adulterer. This is another reason we have an impression these may be pretending believers. When people say or recite the word, quote a few scriptures, ,maybe even be a church goer, but are involved, engaged in the ways of the world, having an affair, being intimate with the world, they are committing adultery. This speaking evil might not mean speaking actual evil words, but more like saying one thing but living differently. It might refer to a so-called quoting of the bible while still having ill-feelings toward others. A deceitful tongue would be used in that way. It is like saying, “I Love God, but I can’t stand this other person”. It might look like saying we love God, but refusing to forgive someone. That could be a deceitful tongue. God says up to now he has kept silent, accusing them of thinking he is alright with the way they are thinking and living. Yet there is a day of judgement coming and God will rebuke all those who he defines and the wicked. Those considered wicked is not by our standards, but by Gods. It does not matter if we think we are right in our thinking, it matters if God does. We have to always remain in Jesus and in a constant state of thanksgiving for all the God is doing for us, in us and through us. He promised he started the good work in us and that it is he who will complete it. We cannot complete any good work in us, it is his to do. If we think we are doing any good work in our lives, or any good deeds for that matter, we deceive ourselves and dishonor God. He is the one who does all the good work in us, and through us. A better translation the second portion of the last verse:

23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

Is and he that considers the course of his life, I will show him the salvation of God. This gives us the insight that we must always be considering how we think, what we say and how we behave. Is God pleased with our living? But more importantly in contrast to what he has said about the wicked, the deceitful tongues, we know we are saved because of our faith in Jesus. We profess Jesus, we accepted him as our Lord and Savior, but at the same time we need to live in accordance with our faith. Living as we say we live, by faith. So we must live what we say.