Psalm 36

[1] Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. [2]  For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. [3] The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. [4] He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil. [5] Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. [6]  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord. [7]  How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. [8] They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. [9] For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. [10] Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright of heart! [11] Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. [12] There the evildoers lie fallen; they are thrust down, unable to rise.

We find a key to this passage in verse 11a- “Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me.” This summarily covers the whole of the plight of the wicked- they not only do not care that they do evil, but they are confident in it even to arrogance. They are boistrous and unhindered in their ways, devoting theire time day and night to evil schemes, but if this is true of the wicked man, what must be said then of the godly? He must *not* be arrogant, which is to say, he must be humble. And that not in himself, for the wicked mans whole pleasure is in his own being- the righteous man therefore must have his whole pleasure outside of himself, perfectly content in his lowly submission to the Mighty One. The wicked man rests in false security, staring up at the sky from his back, thinking that because he can see above he never needs to rise; he fancies himself the freest man in the world who is shackled to himself. They who are thrust down jeer at the upright man for that he does not rest in the mire, but stands and walks toward the green horizon where his Father calls him home. It is the glory of the righteous man to be meek, to know he is not where he should be, to desire earnestly the higher righteousness of our perfect God. It is for this reason He chastizes us; those He does not chastize are not His, they are thrust down and cannot nor desire to stand again. To the master, the slave. Should we ever find ourselves lying down and refusing to stand again, we have just cause to fear and turn away. If we do so, we have assurance of His Spirit: the wicked do not fear at all.

God, let the due fear of your name rest upon us in our iniquity; raise us up from our wallowing. You are who we look to Lord for the knowledge of all that is good, for you are good to those who seek you. Increase our faith, for we desire only to be like you. Amen.