- The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. Psalm 58:10 – This is not a verse that seems to connect with the overall message of scripture that we hear often in church that God’s loves the world and that we ought to love others. What we have in this passage is David feeling the effects of evil men’s evil choices. In his prayer to the Lord David is asking that the Lord strip away their ability to do anymore evil. Break their teeth so they can’t cause damage with their bites and tear out their fangs so they can’t envenomate anyone anymore. As Spurgeon put it, “If they have no capacity for good, at least deprive them of their ability for evil.” Yet as we read on in the passage we find our verse, the one where we’ll be rejoicing over their downfall and bathing our feet in the wicked’s blood. While a shocking message to hear, know it also doesn’t contradict the message of scripture like we thought it might. Our God is a God of justice. His desire is for all men to obey His words and live under His authority. Yet when men choose to reject Him and His way and instead choose evil, wicked ways of living, God is going to bring justice to such men. He will put an end the hurt they are causing. While God desires no one to perish and He finds no pleasure in the condemnation of any, God does find pleasure in bringing help to the helpless and standing up against injustice. We too ought to find joy is seeing evil and its power cut off. While it is heartbreaking to all when any life rejects the Lord and they face the consequences of that choice, it is wonderful to see the helpless saved and the captive freed. Pray then for the wicked that their heart would be changed before it is too late. Celebrate when the evil that once kept people enslaved and oppressed is cast out. Find joy not in the wicked being condemned but find joy that we serve a God who loves justice and stands up for those that need Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3013
- O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! Psalms 58:6 – David here is praying that the enemies of God’s church would be disabled from causing further harm. He was being pursed by men constantly, all directed by Saul and Saul’s counsel. David though expands his prayer to all who seek to cause harm to God’s people. We too have the right to pray to God on behalf of the church to ask that the enemies that pursue it would be stopped. In fact we should make a habit of praying for this. That the enemy would be hindered and stopped from having his way within the church’s life. Pray for the church as a whole, pray for your local body, pray for people individually. The enemy is ruthless, but God is bigger. If God allows us to pray for safety from the enemy’s attack on behalf of our church, why shouldn’t we do that? Let’s start praying then. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 994
- No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth. Psalm 58:2 – What is being devised in your heart will be what is dealt out by your hands. Let’s then be very careful what we are allowing to be devised within us. If we allow things like anger and hatred to be devised within us, our hands will be dealing out painful blows and impatience. If we allow things like envy and greed to grow within our hearts, things like closed hands to the needy and comparison will be dealt out. If we allow things like grace and love to grow, our hands will offer forgiveness and help to those who need it. What you allow to be devised in your heart will be dealt out by your hands. Looking back at this past week, what has been brewing in your heart? Has the things you’ve been allowing to grow been more on the negative side? Looking at what you’ve been pouring out on others this past week, can you see a connection between it and the state of your heart right now? If we want to be offering helping hands rather than painful blows, let’s first figure out what we’ve been devising in our hearts. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2018
Daily DEVO 