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Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight – Psalm 51:4

Just because everyone goes along with something doesn’t mean it is right. Today’s bible verse is part of longer prayer of repentance from King David who had committed  adultery with Bathsheba. By saying that He had sinned only against God, He clues us into the fact that He had not forced Bathsheba into adultery but that she willingly went along with it. Indeed, if he had forced her, he would also have sinned against her. Friend, having people validate our position or our action is reassuring. Having people agree with us and having the same mind as us feels nice and empowering. But just because everyone agrees with us and goes along with what we want to do does not mean we are doing the right. The bible says that let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4). Do not let the agreement of others fool you into thinking you are doing the right thing. Rather, seek God for validation and His word for guidance. If what you are about to do is not of God, it is not right, no matter how many people agree with you.

 I won’t do it if it is not right in the sight of God

You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit – Psalm 50:19

Do you say what you feel? Are you given to telling it like it is? While these are not necessarily bad, there is a better way. We should always look to speak the truth! Since the truth can only come from the Spirit of Truth, this means we should only speak as directed by the Holy Spirit. So, while we may be tempted to say what is true, we should only seek to say what is the truth. The truth is what sets free. When we speak the truth, the truth with which our words are seasoned sets people free! This is when our words become a powerful force for good. Now while it is aspirational to always speak the truth, the reality is that we are not always in tune with the direction and words of the Spirit. In these times, we are better served holding our tongue rather than give our mouth to evil and deceit. In these times, it is best to heed the words of Ronan Keating: You say it best when you say nothing at all.

 I will only give my mouth to good, and my tongue will only frame the truth

But to the wicked God says: “What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth…” – Psalm 50:16

There is no shortage of people who declare what is right while they themselves are doing the wrong thing. There are many who are quick to condemn in public while secretly doing the same things in private! God sees this type of hypocrisy and is not impressed. He wants us not just to say the right things; He wants us to do the right things. Why? It is because He loves us and wants us to experience the blessed life that comes from living out His statues and paying attention to His instructions. So let us choose not to be people who speak the word of God without living according to His word. Let us not be counted amongst those who declare the name of God on Sunday but live like the devil on Monday. We say more with our actions than we could ever say with our words. Therefore, let us choose to live righteously so that our words carry a lot more weight in the minds and hearts of people.

 I will not just speak the word but live according to His word

Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High – Psalm 50:14

Do you have a roof over your head. Do you have shoes to wear? Are your children attending school? Do you have a car? If you answer yes to these questions, then you are doing better than billions of people around the world! It is good not to take the blessing of God for granted, for there are many people in the world who go without simply because they were born in the wrong country. May we not be so used to God’s blessing that we forget to give thanks to Him for them. So let me ask you: when was the last time you truly thanked God in your heart? I do not speak of simply mentioning thanks but voicing gratitude from the depths of your heart. As you consider what God has done for you; as you count your blessings and name them one by one, you will find your heart warming to God anew. You will find that you prioritize Him once more and that you are more able to pay the vows you made to Him when you accepted Him and became His bride.

I vow to give thanks to God for His goodness in my life

“Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” – Psalm 50:5

Who are the believers that will spend time in the pleasure of the presence of God? It is those believers that have decided to sacrifice their flesh to live to the Spirit of God. It is these saved believers who are truly like Christ (not only in nature but in action). The flesh is influenced by worldly things, but the Spirit only goes after the things that are of God. The flesh is prideful, but the spirit is humble. Our fellowship with God deepens when we sacrifice our flesh. The deeper our fellowship, the more we experience the pleasures of having a deep relationship with Him. The sacrifice we are meant to make is the sacrifice of our flesh. Jesus makes this clear when He instructs us to pick our cross up daily and follow Him. Where did He go after He picked up His cross? He went to Golgotha where his flesh was crucified. Therefore, just as Christ did, we too should pick up our cross and crucify our flesh. Those of us who do this will enjoy the glories that come with having a deep fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

My sacrifice is an investment into a heavenly life

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth – Psalm 50:2

Zion is a place where the children of God reside; it is the place where the presence of God exists. Since we spiritually reside in the pleasure of the presence of God, we are the ones through whom God will shine. If God is not shining forth in our world, then we need to look at ourselves and ask if we are truly reflecting His glory or we have started reflecting the glory of the world. When we reflect the glory of God, God shines, and evil is overcome. God is light and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). When you accepted Christ, the perfect and most beautiful one came to make His home in you; light came to make its home in you. This means you carry the very light of God. Don’t keep that light hidden under a basket of fears. Rather, submit to God and let your light shine. Don’t let the pressures of the world keep your light bottled up. Pay no attention to what people think about you or have said about you. You have a light that is needed to ward away darkness. You are more important than you would ever know.

My devotion to God translates into God shining through me

Though while he lives, he blesses himself (for men will praise you when you do well for yourself) – Psalm 49:18

Are you living for the praise of man or the praise of God? Are you living to bless yourself or living to be a blessing to others? Those who live to themselves have their reward on this earth, which they cannot take to heaven. But those who live to God have both a reward on this earth (a good name, contentment, a clear conscience, etc.) and an eternal reward being stored up for them in heaven. Why settle for a reward here on earth when you can be rewarded on earth and in heaven? When you live to God, you also live for the benefit of others. Jesus is the ultimate example of this in that His life, which He lived to God, benefitted all of mankind  in that He provided a way for us to go from death to life. The choice is yours  Continue to live a life focusing on blessing yourself or choose to live a life focused on blessing others. It is better to focus on blessing others while relying on God to bless you. Remember, he who refreshes others will also be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25)

My life will be a blessing to others and not just myself

For he sees wise men die; Likewise, the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others – Psalm 49:10

Whether we are wise or foolish, rich or poor, we will all perish one day and leave whatever treasure we have amassed on earth to others. Therefore, our goal should not be to amass as much treasure as we can before we die, it should be to do as much good for people in this world with the treasure that we have. We should look to love people and use money rather than use people and love money. We can’t take money with us to heaven, but we can lead people to heaven through our service to them. How are you living your life? Are you thinking about money all the time? Do you sacrifice fellowship with your family for the sake of making more money? Do your choices reflect your love for money rather than your love for God? Do you justify your pursuit of money by convincing yourself that it is an act of love for your loved ones? You cannot love both God and money! When you love God and prioritize loving people, then you will find that God takes care of your needs, many times through the same people you loved.

  Good enables me to amass wealth for the benefit of others