The nature of sin in all men

Day 95: Psalms 36:2-4

            Psalm 36:2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. 3The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good. 4He devises wickedness on his bed; He sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil.

            Lord God, You created us to be holy, just, and children who trust and follow You, but when we fell into sin we thought our ways were better than Your ways. We believed in Satan’s evil direction and in our own knowledge, rather than Your truth.

            While in Christ, Your children have been redeemed and forgiven, they still have to put to death the deeds of the flesh. You have revealed to us in Your word, that in our former wickedness we are so full of ourselves that we set up ourselves as a god. We think we are wiser than we are, stronger than we are, and more stable than we are. We think that our sin is not sin but a justifiable way of life.

            Because, You have shown us that apart from Christ’s sanctifying grace, this is the way we see life. Apart from Christ’s work in us our own words are full of wickedness and deceit, either justifying our sin, denying our sin, shifting the blame for our sin to others, or in some other way refusing the righteousness and holy standard of God.

When wickedness rules, wisdom is set aside. Oh, they live off some borrowed principles of God’s wisdom or they could not live, but they refuse the Founder of truth and faithfulness. They do not acknowledge God as God. They cease to do good. They create wicked schemes in their plans and dreams. They set their course to do evil and do not hate that which is evil.

            Almighty God and King, You have shown us the path of the wicked and their ways among us. Let us be warned and prepared. Keep us safe from their evil schemes. Let us not naively assume that all will agree with us or that all men will help and support us. Help us be prepared for those who refuse Your will and Your way in their lives. Do not let them catch us off guard or unprepared. Nor let us foolishly fear them, O Lord. You are greater than all and will not let them do any more than Your holy will and way have determined. You say to them, thus far and no farther. You restrain them.