Surrounded

Just look around. Read the news. Listen to conversations. Watch what people do. Think about standards being accepted throughout society.

In subtle and direct ways, you will witness people showing contempt for God. Some openly ridicule anyone who believes in Him or declares faith in Jesus. We often wonder why God allows these conditions to continue.

The psalmist struggled with these issues. It seemed to him that the ungodly got the breaks and enjoyed the most success. Often defiant, they renounced the Lord and did not seek Him or think of Him. Their voices were filled with “cursing and deceit and oppression.” Their lives were dominated by “iniquity” (v. 7).

The psalmist asked why God seemed to allow these people to prosper instead of being punished.

Fittingly, the psalmist closed with a prayer that put the matter in context. He was reminded that God is “King forever and ever” (v. 16). Regardless of how others acted, he knew that God “heard the desire of the humble” (v. 17). He is the perfect judge and can be trusted.

As you look at the world, don’t give up or abandon your standards. Stand on God’s Word. Bring your concerns to Him. Like the psalmist, remember that “the Lord is King forever and ever.” He will hear the “desire of the humble.”

Seek Him. Get His perspective on the world. Let Him give you the right attitude.