Psalms 1-2 - Good and Evil

Psalms 1-2 - Good and Evil

This morning we are confronted with a society at-large that has abandoned moral absolutes. There is no decided right or wrong any more. Good and evil have been forsaken by the so-called elite of our culture. Proper behavior is now defined by the individual and who are we to judge another person’s actions? Anything less than acceptance and support towards others is generally attacked as intolerant and hateful by critics. Sadly, this philosophy has crept into modern Christianity. 

As we read the first two Psalms of the the Bible, we quickly notice a couple of truths that refute such thinking. First, we observe that Scripture teaches the reality of good and evil. Psalms 1:1 begins by proclaiming, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”  If an individual is not engaging in ungodly behavior or congregating with those that are ungodly, then he is striving to live a moral, righteous (aka good) life. In contrast, the Psalmist later writes in verse 4 that, “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” So, we have a clear distinction between godly and ungodly behavior. In Psalms 2, this differentiation continues as David writes about the heathen’s futile efforts to oppose the Lord.

We also observe that actions, whether good or evil, have consequences. When an individual flees evil, he is blessed of the Lord. When he delights in the law of the Lord, there is stability, fruitfulness and prosperity. In contrast, the ungodly man does not enjoy such. He is buffeted about by the winds of life. He misses out on Lord’s favor. The Psalmist clearly states that the way of the ungodly shall perish! This is the biblical concept of sowing and reaping (Job 4:8; Psalms 127:5-8).

This is very applicable in our daily walk. The constant bombardment of Post-Modern philosophy that meets us via media and political/educational propaganda is extremely pervasive. Think of some of the behaviors that were once commonly understood to be sinful and immoral that are now considered ‘alternative lifestyle’ choices. In fact, immorality is now paraded openly as something to be desired. It seems that every week there is another Hollywood star being paraded on multiple media outlets because of their sinful choices. They are not rebuked for such behavior. In fact, they are ofttimes the most desirable and emulated members of our society. Lord help us! 

God’s message to Israel through the prophet Isaiah should serve as a sobering reminder to us today:

Isaiah 5:20-24 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

All men are accountable to God regardless of whether or not they choose to acknowledge such. Our moral compass is to be the word of God. It is the absolute truth that a little child of God can trust. It is our only hope for navigating this perilous world. We must also be aware of the fact that actions have consequences. Positively, there are blessings in obedience. In contrast, there are consequence when we choose ungodly behavior. What will you choose today?

Blessings, 

Michael D. Green, Jr.

Fort Wayne PBC