Psalm 50:16 – To the Wicked God Says

The rise of evil is palpable in the world.  Satan knows that his time is at hand, and he must do everything possible to thwart God’s purposes.  If he doesn’t, Satan fully understands that he is destined for the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they gave to the serpent the dominion over the earth that God had given to them.  Their sin was our loss and Satan’s gain.  Upon creating this first couple, God gave them authority as stated in Genesis 1:28:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

When they disobeyed God not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their rebellion caused a major shift.  Rather than continuing to have the sovereignty that God had given them, they were now subject to the one who had deceived them.  Rather than man being the king of the earth as God had effectively appointed him, Satan became the prince of the power of the air and of the earth.  Notice that with this title, he ultimately had less authority than God had originally given Adam and Eve.  Despite that, of course, man lost his position and now had a new and wicked ruler above him.

This being who currently rules the physical plane of this planet has many who do his will, both in the spiritual realm and among humanity.  Those who follow Satan are simply all who have not bowed their knee to the Lord God.  Some of the dragon’s followers are greater and more evil than others.  Just as God has a hierarchy of His divine sons, so too does Satan.  We know this from Ephesians 6:12:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

This verse outlines this hierarchy and also points to the fact that when we contend with people on earth, we are really jousting with the spiritual world which controls them.

Humans who have risen high in the ranks of Satan’s army often pretend to have a religious aura about them.  They spout Bible verses and take on a holier than thou persona in their false righteousness.  God has much to say about such people.  He does so in the extended passage of Psalm 50:16-22:

But to the wicked God says:

    “What right have you to recite my statutes

    or take my covenant on your lips?

For you hate discipline,

    and you cast my words behind you.

If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,

    and you keep company with adulterers.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,

    and your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

    you slander your own mother’s son.

These things you have done, and I have been silent;

    you thought that I was one like yourself.

But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

“Mark this, then, you who forget God,

    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!

Never be fooled.  God sees all those who hate Him.  They are on His radar screen, and He never loses sight of them.  They might be highly placed in government, business, or the church.  From them we hear from time to time their lying lips speak Words of Scripture.  But God rebukes them for this.

Such people tell others how to live, but are major hypocrites who do not obey their own words.  These are men and women who declare that all people must have an equal outcome, yet horde riches for themselves.  They proclaim how others must follow their dictates as to personal conduct, but God sees them and knows their sexual immorality.

Everything that comes from their mouths is spoken from a heart of evil.  All that they say is a lie.  Why?  Their father, the devil, is the father of lies, and they can speak only deceit.

One of their greatest sins is having taken for themselves the mantle of God.  They think they can eliminate Him by not acknowledging who He is and by proclaiming themselves to have risen to His level.  By going down this road they effectively forget there truly is a God in heaven.

However, the One true God has not forgotten who He is and the authority He wields.  He sees all these things and rebukes them.  In one form or another these wicked people receive God’s admonishment, but they ignore it.  This they do to their own peril.  Because they have said that there is no God, He promises to tear them apart.  There will be none who can deliver them.

We who love the Lord can be assured that this evil will not last.  This is a promise God has given us.  We know that ALL God’s promises are Yes and Amen!  They will come to pass.

What does God require of us who desire to be faithful?  It’s very simple, as noted in Psalm 51:17:

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

When we come humbly to Him, He is pleased.  Why?  This attitude is 180 degrees from that of the wicked.  God loves us and desires to pour out His blessings and favor.  And He will, but only to those who seek His face and trust in Him through His Son, Jesus Christ..

All the wicked will perish.

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