Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Watching someone do something evil and get away with it can be maddening. Martha worked while Mary worshiped Jesus, who was there (!) and Martha had a complaint! We have a peculiar sense of fairness where morality is concerned. We look at the murderers and drug dealers in the world who literally destroy lives and think that only they deserve death when in fact, we all do. As the beginning of the Psalm says, “Truly God is good to Israel.” and us. We are not good, not one of us.
We are not pure in heart, no matter who we compare ourselves to. Our feet stumble constantly and slip frequently. We are envious of those who get away with murder and theft, living the high life while we suffer and serve in poverty. The psalmist laments that the evil do not get their due punishment. We now know that they will, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Now we can look at them with pity and seek to serve them with the gospel of truth. Truly God the Holy Spirit is good.
Dear Lord, thank you for the end of the story when all get their just deserts except those you have saved. Help us to look at others and love them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church