Opening Prayer: Oh Lord, we feel suppressed in our every move. Society and its abrasive people lay us bear with their words and actions. They chastise and ridicule our efforts to reach out to others with the truth. We do not feel free to speak on Your behalf. Give us strength. Bind the enemy that we might spread the truth of salvation to those who are receptive. Help us to turn willingly to Your Spirit for the power needed to be gentle but persuasive. You alone are our strength and our shield in times of depression. In Your son Jesus’s name we pray, Amen!
Today’s Bible Verse: Psalm 52:4-9
You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue! Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at Him, saying, "Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!" But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise you forever for what You have done; in Your name, I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of Your saints.
Associated Scriptures:
Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? (1 Corinthians 6:9).
The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18).
Consider Him (Jesus) who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:3).
Correlative Quotes:
Men can manage to say a great many furious things and yet cover all over with the pretext of justice. They claim that they are jealous of the right, but the truth is they are determined to put down truth and holiness, and craftily go about it under this transparent pretense.[1] – Charles Spurgeon
First, the poet, with a few indignant and contemptuous touches, dashes on his canvas an outline portrait of an arrogant oppressor, whose weapon was slander and his words like pits of ruin. Then, with vehement, exulting metaphors, he pictures his destruction. On it follow reverent awe of God, whose justice is thereby displayed, and deepened sense in righteous hearts of the folly of trust in anything but Him. Finally, the singer contrasts with thankfulness his happy continuance in fellowship with God with the oppressor's fate and renews his resolve of praise and patient waiting.[2] – Alexander Maclaren
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness.[3] – Charles John Ellicott
Author’s Notes:
INTRODUCTION
The world can be a cruel and disheartening place when we step outside our safe environment. They say: “Sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt you.” Don’t believe it for one minute. Every negative word spoken by another person, at your expense, takes a toll on self-esteem.
Those who gain notoriety in this life by humiliating and degrading others will find no joy in this world or eternity. The verbal and physical bullies of society seem to run in small groups alienated from the general public. They will become isolated now and will pay the price when they stand before God.
Those who seek wealth through devious associations or unscrupulous business tactics will flourish for a time. Even if they are not discovered in this life, they will stand before an all-knowing God and answer to Him in eternity.
God is the ultimate judge of all His creation. He will judge all people based on His priority, love. Those who love God and others with the unconditional love of God will enjoy eternity with Him. Those who hate with the hatred of the devil will spend eternity with their god in the lake of fire (Read Revelation 20:10-15).
CONTRASTING LIVES
Unrighteousness has many forms, but none are more offensive or degrading than hurtful language. Cruel, insulting language breaks the human heart. God measures with one ruler. The measuring device is God’s love. In John 13:34 Jesus states A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. The apostle John, being instructed by God’s Spirit, writes: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
The unrighteous can’t and will not love with God’s love. Societal love is always motivated by some other rationale than glorifying God. Even if they believe that God exists but have not made Jesus the Lord of their lives, their incentive is to gain personal influence or to earn more “Heavenly points.” The unregenerate feel that if they do enough “good,” they can win a ticket to eternal life. But, good works are the mark of salvation, not its source (Read Ephesians 2:8-10).
Those who speak with mockery and disdain will not see the kingdom of God. Their fate is sealed without repentance. It was Charles Spurgeon who said: Fain (Without question) would the persecutor destroy the church, and therefore God shall destroy him, pull down his house, pluck up his roots, and make an end of him.[4]
They must ask for forgiveness from God, turn from their evil ways, and apologize to those whom they have injured.
The cunning and disreputable person trusts in their ill-gotten gain, ignoring God’s plan and purpose. They have grown strong by destroying the lives of others. The unprincipled treat others as the paving stones to success. They roll over others like a road roller leveling asphalt pavement. Their freeway to the future is paved with insults and lies and bordered by the disappointed hearts of those who thought they were receiving compensation for their labor. Their compensation was replaced by humiliation and ultimately, bankruptcy.
For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace (James 3:16-18, CSB)
The Righteous will experience God’s mercy. His compassion is unceasing and unending. David knew God's mercy to be eternal and perpetual. He places his complete trust in Him who was the savior of all men. Jesus is our rock. He is the stone that was rejected by the builders (Read Psalm 118:22). However, Jesus became the cornerstone of our salvation and the entrance to our eternal relationship (Read Revelation 3:20). He is a fortress to which we can flee!
Our trust is in God's unfailing, unending love. Christ’s name gives us hope. His action on the cross gives us salvation. Jesus’ Spirit gives us purpose. It is a story of hope that permeates the entirety of the Scriptures. The believer’s end is secured by the seal of the Spirit (Read Ephesians 1:13). In 1 John 5:4 the apostle explains, faith provides the triumph: for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Spiritual Application:
It was a peculiarity of the great Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior, that His teaching was continually aimed at the hearts of men. Other teachers had been content with an outward moral reformation, but He sought the source of all the evil, that He might cleanse the spring from which all sinful thoughts, and words, and actions come. He insisted over and over again that until the heart was pure, the life would never be clean.[5] – Charles Spurgeon
Psalm 19:14 cries out for sanity in communication, May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer. Even the worst of humanity understands when their words hurt others. They use language like a knife to slowly drain the blood of life from those who they attack. In Romans 13:13, the apostle Paul relates: Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips. They may prosper in this life, but they will be silenced in the next.
Those who use their unscrupulous gain as a weapon live among us like a stage four cancer. They flaunt their wealth with arrogance. Their good deeds are motivated by recognition and designed to promote a positive self-image. They may show false humility before presidents, kings, and religious leaders in this life, but they too will not stand before God. The immoral will lose everything at death and suffer eternal punishment for their self-seeking deportment in life.
The righteous will see God. Matthew 5:8 says: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Lessons within the Lesson:
Describe a time when you were verbally abused.
What impact did that abuse have on you?
How were you able to recover from it?
What is God’s measure of spirituality? Read John 13:35.
[1] Charles Spurgeon, Psalm 52:4-7, The Treasury of David, Vol. II, Ibid, P. 427.
[2] Alexander Maclaren, Psalm 52, Exposition of the Holy Scriptures, The Psalms Vol. II, Public Domain, Ibid, P. 142-143
[3] Charles John Ellicott, Psalm 52:4-9, An Old Testament Commentary for English Readers, Vol. 4, Ibid., P. 163
[4] Charles Spurgeon, Ibid.
[5] Charles Spurgeon, The Sixth Beatitude, Public Domain, spurgeongems.org/ sermon/chs3159.pdf, P. 1.