SORROWS OR MERCY?
Psalms 32:10 NKJV
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
When you think of wicked, what comes to mind? It can range from the wicked witches of the movies to the people who do horrible, unspeakable things. And most people would not put themselves in that category. They may not be perfect, but they are certainly not wicked. But when the Bible speaks of the wicked, what does it say? If the wicked are only relegated to the Hitlers and Stalins of this world, or the people committing mass shootings, then our verse for today pertains to very few.
The word wicked in Hebrew is indicative of someone who is in the wrong. This will include the horrible people who commit crimes against humanity, but it also includes those who are guilty of not following God’s ways. None of us want to put ourselves in this category, but if we look at this verse, it makes more sense.
Many sorrows shall be to the guilty and those who are pursuing wrong ways, ways that are contrary to God and His wisdom. And now we are getting somewhere. All of us know people who have turned away from God or have rejected Him outright, and we have watched the difficulties that have followed them. People who have soured on God and completely ignore Him. People who have become offended at the Church or God’s people and have walked away. Many of us personally know these folks. As a pastor, I have a front-row seat to the sorrows that accompany these people. It’s not pretty.
But there is an alternative route. Trusting in the Lord. These are the people who have chosen a different path. They choose God’s Word over what they see and feel. They chose God’s work and kingdom, often above their own interests. They choose church instead of comfort and convenience. Because they trust in the Lord, they live differently. They are not perfect, none of us are, but they are on a different path. And this path is a path where God’s mercy can make up for mistakes. This path of mercy can help those who trust in the Lord bounce back quicker from setbacks. This path where mercy lives allows these people to avoid many of the sorrows that the wicked must face.
Maybe we have sent the wrong message to people. That if you follow and trust God, everything will be perfect. That is not correct. We live in a fallen world with an enemy, Satan, and people pursuing their selfish agendas. Or, we have sent the message that if we live perfectly, nothing bad will happen. Again, this is not an accurate belief. Striving to live right before God is wise and the best way, but it does not ensure that nothing bad will occur.
I like what verse ten says: for those who trust in the Lord, mercy will surround them. We can get through a lot of negative stuff with enough of God’s mercy. We can overcome many mistakes with God’s mercy surrounding us. We can recover faster from setbacks with God’s mercy. Life is a long haul, and we run better and stronger with mercy.
PRAYER
Lord, I trust You and Your ways. I purpose to live by faith not by sight, and I am grateful that Your mercy is new every morning and is surrounding me.