#DailyDevotion Worship & Fear The LORD, Not For Comfort In This Life But The One To Come
Psalm 31 17I have called to You, O LORD; don’t let me be disappointed, but let the wicked end in shame and be thrown into a grave. 18May their lying lips be muzzled when in proud scorn they dare to talk against the righteous.
The fact that we call to the LORD for help, trusting He will hear us, is the basis upon which we appeal to Him to not be disappointed. If we would look to Him for help and He does not give us help that would be a shame to His name that He has given us. We should expect help from Him based on the promises of Jesus, “Ask, seek, knock.”
Christians are never comfortable in praying imprecatory (curses) verses of the psalms. Our LORD has told us to love our enemies. James tells us to bless and not curse. Yet here they are, words which come from the heart of our LORD Jesus Christ and which He prayed regularly. Ultimately, if our enemies do not repent, they will be on the bad end of these curses whether we pray them or not. It is God’s will that such an end will come upon all who reject His love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. I have often found after praying these things with certain people in mind, the Spirit will then move me to pray for their repentance so these things will come to pass for them.
We should take some comfort I guess from these verses when we are being wronged by people for no reason other than their own benefit and we are innocent parties to them. Generally, we just want them to stop, as David writes here, “May their lips be muzzled.” “They dare to talk against the righteous.” You can only pray this if you examine yourself and see if you are truly innocent in your dealings with them. If you find you are not, perhaps you should first go and make amends for whatever you have done first before praying this.
19What great kindness You secretly reserve for those who fear You, and do for those who trust in You, for all the world to see.
A more literal translation may be “what abundant good.” Tov is the word for good. God is tov. We should look to Him for every good. That is what designates Him as our God. Secretly store up is a good translation. It also meets our experience in life. It seems sometimes the goodness of God is hidden from us. All we experience is evil. Yet for those who fear the LORD (fear is the proper worship of Him) the goodness of the LORD is secretly reserved for them. Think of Lazarus who only suffered in this short life but for eternity receives comfort in the bosom of Abraham. Jesus tells us to store up treasure in heaven.
All who trust in the LORD Jesus Christ and in His mercy, kindness, love and forgiveness will be called up to the place of honor at the wedding banquet of the Lamb for all the world to see. On the day of the LORD Jesus Christ, the abundant good of the LORD, which was stored in secret will be made manifest. Everyone who did what they wanted and lived as if they had the blessing of the LORD, despite their wicked lives, will be like the rich man suffering for all eternity. They will see those they despised seated in the places of honor, glory, power, might and comfort.
Heavenly Father, grant that we may always give You proper fear and worship, trusting in Your goodness to be bestowed upon us on the day of Christ Jesus as our trust is in Him. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.