Worship and Wickedness

(Photo Courtesy of The New Yorker - https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/inside-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner-as-gunshots-rang-out)

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   Watching the news recently, we witnessed yet another reason to believe wickedness seems to be increasing. Saturday, April 25, at the White House Correspondents Dinner, a man breached security with the apparent intent of shooting high ranking members of the current administration. In the process, a Secret Service agent was shot in the chest; thankfully, he was wearing a bulletproof vest. According to subsequent news reports, the shooter wrote a manifesto stating his intent and justifying his actions.

   In Psalm 36, David writes of the contrast between the wicked and the righteous. He says of the ungodly in verse 4, "He plans wickedness upon his bed; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not despise evil." The hearts of evil men delight in the evil they engage in. Verse 1 gives the reason, "There is no fear of God before his eyes." While this idea of "fear" can simply mean "reverence" or "honor", I believe we should not lose sight of a holy terror as well. The Lord, in His perfection, should cause humanity to tremble in our imperfection. However, a proper reverence and fear of God should produce something else.

  Verses 5-10 direct us to worship the Lord for His righteousness and judgments, His lovingkindness and compassion, His provision and protection. Those who truly fear the Lord are not repulsed by God but rather are drawn to Him. They delight in Him and find their satisfaction in Him. Verse 9 says, "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light." We know and enjoy things to their fullest when we come to the Lord in reverent fear.

   In the moment, it may seem as though the wicked may be increasing and succeeding; however, this will not last. In the end, the Lord will make all things right. In the righteousness of the Lord, "There the doers of iniquity have fallen; they have been thrust down and cannot rise." While we may be tempted to fret, let us hold on to the promise that the Lord's justice is as good as done, even though we may not see it yet.