Psalm 36
In this generation we have a fascination with grey, an incurable attraction toward the middle of the road. It is a reaction, of course. We once tended to make everything black and white and not admit the grey. We once tended to insist on one side or the other, not realising that the truth of some issues was between the two poles. But that does not make the current position any more defensible. Indeed, there are some grey areas, but there are also some things that are black or white, right or wrong, true or false.
Middle of the road positions may sometimes be right, but other times they may get you into a deadly collision. This Psalm is not afraid of clear cut, black and white language on certain important issues.
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Don’t be naive
We must not take a naive view of human sin.
“Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.” (Ps 36:1-4)
Evidently the writer never heard the maxim “There is so much bad in the best of us and so much good in the worst of us that it hardly behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us.” Or if he did hear it, he did not agree with it.
Yes, we should start out assuming that people who are wrong are sincerely wrong. But at times that assumption becomes impossible to maintain. Some people are wholly given over to sin. They “do not reject evil,” rather they embrace it and even demand that evil be celebrated.
Surely those of us who survived the 20th century should know that – even if the Bible did not tell us. How can we look back on Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, and Sanni Abacha and not realise this? But the Bible does tell us that it is so. Therefore, even those whose experiences have not yet taught them this fact should believe it. There are some thoroughly wicked people in this world.
One thing more — and I hope that you will take the Bible’s word for this and never find it out by experience — if you hang around with those people you will become like them (1 Cor 15:33; Pr 13:20). There are evil people, and it is dangerous to spend much time with them.
Right view of God
Secondly, this psalm tells us that we must not take a limited view of God.
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.” (5-6)
The Lord’s characteristics are described in the greatest terms the author or readers could imagine: “To the heavens … To the clouds …like the mountains …like the great deep.” The three characteristics so described are the same three Jesus names as of greatest importance (Mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, Mt 23:23); Strangely, modern Christians seem to underemphasise these.
Perhaps some readers believe we emphasise his mercy adequately. Are you sure of this? Are we emphasising his mercy or merely downplaying the guilt of our sin?
Do we have a well-rounded view of God? Have we really grasped the extent of his commitment to these fundamental principles? Or have we greyed out his greatness as well as our sin?
The downside
There is a negative side to this Psalm, because there is a negative side to life. But it has a positive note as well.
There is no alternative, we must take refuge in God. In him alone there is safety (7) and insight (9). In him alone are we supplied the ability to become like him (10).
“How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. 9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. 10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! 11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.” ( 7-12)
Let us not grey out our sinfulness or the sinfulness of the world in which we live. It is real. It is deadly. And let us not grey out the greatness of God. He is absolutely just; He is marvellously merciful; He is completely faithful; and so we can be saved.