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Why Does God Warn About Judgment?

The Bible is both motive-reading and future-predicting. We, as finite creatures, can do neither. I cannot tell you what you are thinking, or why you are doing what you are doing. The Bible does.

Why is this? How is this? It is because it is a living book. Like Spurgeon said, I’ve read many books, this book reads me! It is true—the Bible is alive. Scripture says as much:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

The Word is a sword that is all knife; it cuts both ways. It is sharp.

Therefore, we are not surprised to come to the 52nd Psalm and read the Bible making all sorts of authoritative, motive-reading conclusions.

The Charges

  • You boast in evil: “Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?…” (Psalm 52:1)
  • You plot evil: “Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.” (Psalm 52:2)
  • You love evil. “You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah” (Psalm 52:3)
  • You love using words to hurt. “You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.” (Psalm 52:4)
  • You are deceitful. “You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.” (Psalm 52:4)

The Verdict

You are in big trouble; God is going to break you down. “But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah” (Psalm 52:5)

The Intended Consequence

Why would God reveal this and then actually do this?

1. So that God would be glorified in his knowledge. He knew this would happen.

2. So that God would be glorified in his holiness. He cannot persist in this unholy rebellion.

3. So that God would be glorified in his goodness. He will not compromise; he does what is good and right.

4. So that God would be glorified in his grace. He will save a rebellious group of evil people through his good, loving, merciful Son Jesus.

5. So that others would be warned by God’s inflexible character and reliability—even that they might, seeing their folly and God’s goodness, lay down their arms and worship him.

6. So that believers would be encouraged to continue in their unfashionable but ever important loving obedience to God.

We see this by way of warning in verses 6-7:

The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”” (Psalm 52:6-7)

We see this by way of encouragement in verses 8-9:

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly.” (Psalm 52:8-9)

It is tempting to gauge whether or not God is winning and if discipleship is worth it by reading the newspaper headlines. But, I assure you, this is a fool’s errand. Determine who is winning and whether it is worth it by reading the Bible. He has proved himself with each generation. Listen to the Psalmist’s voice echo through the ages:

I will TRUST: I believe God’s covenant promises, his steadfast love. They are true and more current than this morning’s newspaper. I will trust you.

I will THANK: I will thank you O God, forever and ever! Why? Because you have done it. Ultimately, the doing it is the cross. God has been faithful to punish sin and pardon sinners!

I will WAIT: I will wait for you name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly. I know you and love you. I will patiently wait and hope, because my faith is not in man who can change but in God who does not change. I will find my comfort in God’s promises in the context of God’s people.

Little wonder then, writing songs like this, that he said he was like a green olive tree in the house of God. He is alive and fruitful because he is nourished on the truth of God’s Word.

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