Psalm 10: Pt. 2 Pride and coveting drive the wicked.
Good morning to all...
Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Amos 8:4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail.
Psalm 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 10 is unique because it opens up the thoughts and patterns of the wicked ones. It gives us insight into what evil people do and how they think. It also helps us understand why they do it. Most important, it shows us our great need to depend upon the LORD.
Pride is what drives the wicked. "A proud look" is first on the list of 7 things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Pride is the sin that resulted in Lucifer being ejected from heaven (Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:12-15). Shame follows when the wicked are governed by pride (Proverbs 11:2). The wicked cause contention, chaos and division as they let pride govern what they do.
The proud wicked want to persecute the poor. Pride is insolence toward God and a presumptive arrogance of spirit. Pride rises up and spills out of the heart in an awful display of sin.
In our text the word persecute means that the wicked have a burning desire to trample down the poor. In this text, the poor are those who are humble in heart, needy and weak and the proud in heart love to exploit them.
The Psalmist prays that Jehovah will allow the wicked to be taken by their own devices because that would be fitting and right. We noted in Psalm 9 that the wicked often do set traps and then end up getting caught in their own trap. This is what the Psalmist is teaching us.
Psalm 10:3-4 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
The wicked boast about many things that they want or that they accumulate. The people who are covetous find happiness in taking advantage of others in buying or selling transactions and getting a profit at the expense of someone else.
The 10th commandment in the Law of God is against coveting (Exodus 20:17). In this text coveting is wanting to have something that belongs to another person. It is an illicit desire that dominates in the heart of the proud.
Take notice that Jehovah abhors the sin of covetousness but the wicked rejoice in it. They act opposite of the holy standard of God.
Pride driven wicked ones have the most pathetic life imaginable because they have no thought of God. In fact our text makes it very clear that the wicked have contempt and disdain for the things of God. Like the generation that perished in the flood (Genesis 6). Their hearts focus only on that which is ungodly, useless and base.
Whereas the reverential fear of the LORD is the starting point for true wisdom, the wicked begin with pride and follow that path into foolishness and confusion.
2 Points of Application for believers.
1. Do not fall into the sin of pride.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
The fear of the LORD means having an attitude of reverence, respect and awe for Jehovah because He is worthy. Seeing God as He is helps us see how small we are in comparison and leads us to humility in our heart.
Truly we must learn to hate the sin of pride because many aspects of our culture tell us we must have good self esteem, that we must be shouting out our accomplishments or touting our educational achievements. None of these things matter for eternity. Only what is done for God will last.
(See also Proverbs 15:33; 16:18-19; James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5-6).
2. Avoid the sin of coveting.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Why did this man steal? Because he caved in to covetous desires. He badly wanted something that belonged to another person so he stole what he lusted after. (See also 1 Timothy 6:10; James 1:14-15; James 4:3).
Paul says if you stole something in the past, steal no more. Instead of coveting, work with your hands to get what you need and to be able to help others in need.
Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Paul instructs the believer to make sure that coveting is never mentioned in connection with the children of God. It is a grievous sin that we must learn to avoid. How do we avoid it? By learning that God is sufficient for all of our needs.
Matthew 6:32-33 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Thoughts to Ponder...
The wicked are driven by pride and covetousness and the child of God must avoid these sins. It is a life long challenge that we face.
First, our culture thrives on pride. Much has been written to encourage people to have high self esteem because it is needed to be successful in life. Yet, the Word of God teaches us that we must see our true condition so that we can run to the salvation Jehovah provides.
Pride is the direct opposite of humility. Scripture shows us over and over again that we need to seek humility because God resists the proud. Our natural man is proud but the new man in Christ is to be marked by a humble heart.
Second, much of the marketing practices today are geared to make you move from "wanting" something to "needing" something. A "want" is a product or service that is not necessary but is wished for by the consumer. A "need" is when the consumer moves from wishing for a product or service to actually seeing it as a great need that he or she cannot live without.
Marketing strategy is devoted to moving a consumer from wishing to needing because needing leads to buying. Marketing practices can cause people to covet things that they really do not need and coveting is a sin.
Therefore, believers today must make a decided effort to avoid pride and covetousness by praying to God for help and by taking in His Word because that will change how we think.
May the Lord Jesus Christ be honored by our response to His word.
Bob
Psalm 10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Amos 8:4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail.
Psalm 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
Psalm 10 is unique because it opens up the thoughts and patterns of the wicked ones. It gives us insight into what evil people do and how they think. It also helps us understand why they do it. Most important, it shows us our great need to depend upon the LORD.
Pride is what drives the wicked. "A proud look" is first on the list of 7 things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). Pride is the sin that resulted in Lucifer being ejected from heaven (Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:12-15). Shame follows when the wicked are governed by pride (Proverbs 11:2). The wicked cause contention, chaos and division as they let pride govern what they do.
The proud wicked want to persecute the poor. Pride is insolence toward God and a presumptive arrogance of spirit. Pride rises up and spills out of the heart in an awful display of sin.
In our text the word persecute means that the wicked have a burning desire to trample down the poor. In this text, the poor are those who are humble in heart, needy and weak and the proud in heart love to exploit them.
The Psalmist prays that Jehovah will allow the wicked to be taken by their own devices because that would be fitting and right. We noted in Psalm 9 that the wicked often do set traps and then end up getting caught in their own trap. This is what the Psalmist is teaching us.
Psalm 10:3-4 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
The wicked boast about many things that they want or that they accumulate. The people who are covetous find happiness in taking advantage of others in buying or selling transactions and getting a profit at the expense of someone else.
The 10th commandment in the Law of God is against coveting (Exodus 20:17). In this text coveting is wanting to have something that belongs to another person. It is an illicit desire that dominates in the heart of the proud.
Take notice that Jehovah abhors the sin of covetousness but the wicked rejoice in it. They act opposite of the holy standard of God.
Pride driven wicked ones have the most pathetic life imaginable because they have no thought of God. In fact our text makes it very clear that the wicked have contempt and disdain for the things of God. Like the generation that perished in the flood (Genesis 6). Their hearts focus only on that which is ungodly, useless and base.
Whereas the reverential fear of the LORD is the starting point for true wisdom, the wicked begin with pride and follow that path into foolishness and confusion.
2 Points of Application for believers.
1. Do not fall into the sin of pride.
Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
The fear of the LORD means having an attitude of reverence, respect and awe for Jehovah because He is worthy. Seeing God as He is helps us see how small we are in comparison and leads us to humility in our heart.
Truly we must learn to hate the sin of pride because many aspects of our culture tell us we must have good self esteem, that we must be shouting out our accomplishments or touting our educational achievements. None of these things matter for eternity. Only what is done for God will last.
(See also Proverbs 15:33; 16:18-19; James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5-6).
2. Avoid the sin of coveting.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Why did this man steal? Because he caved in to covetous desires. He badly wanted something that belonged to another person so he stole what he lusted after. (See also 1 Timothy 6:10; James 1:14-15; James 4:3).
Paul says if you stole something in the past, steal no more. Instead of coveting, work with your hands to get what you need and to be able to help others in need.
Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Paul instructs the believer to make sure that coveting is never mentioned in connection with the children of God. It is a grievous sin that we must learn to avoid. How do we avoid it? By learning that God is sufficient for all of our needs.
Matthew 6:32-33 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Thoughts to Ponder...
The wicked are driven by pride and covetousness and the child of God must avoid these sins. It is a life long challenge that we face.
First, our culture thrives on pride. Much has been written to encourage people to have high self esteem because it is needed to be successful in life. Yet, the Word of God teaches us that we must see our true condition so that we can run to the salvation Jehovah provides.
Pride is the direct opposite of humility. Scripture shows us over and over again that we need to seek humility because God resists the proud. Our natural man is proud but the new man in Christ is to be marked by a humble heart.
Second, much of the marketing practices today are geared to make you move from "wanting" something to "needing" something. A "want" is a product or service that is not necessary but is wished for by the consumer. A "need" is when the consumer moves from wishing for a product or service to actually seeing it as a great need that he or she cannot live without.
Marketing strategy is devoted to moving a consumer from wishing to needing because needing leads to buying. Marketing practices can cause people to covet things that they really do not need and coveting is a sin.
Therefore, believers today must make a decided effort to avoid pride and covetousness by praying to God for help and by taking in His Word because that will change how we think.
May the Lord Jesus Christ be honored by our response to His word.
Bob
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