#716 Shade

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. Psalm 36 ESV

No fear of God - This is a thing that men come by easy, that they say:

• There is no God 

For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.…Psalm 14: 1-2

• The god I believe in is not concerned with the affairs of men

Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. 10 I distinguish the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come, saying: ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’ 11 I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, I will surely do it.…Isaiah 46: 9-11

• I am okay with my actions, it felt right or I did not feel bad at least

The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases. 2 All a man’s ways seem right to him,but the LORD weighs the heart. 3 To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.… Proverbs 21: 1-3

He does not reject evil - We are unbelievably vain in this age, and everyone of us without exception has a broken moral compass from the fall. Men can not sit long under the whole counsel of God, considering that some parts of God's word should not be mentioned for fear of conviction which may lead to outright rejection. There is a marked change in a man who puts his trust in God, first he will want to know God's law then second he will set out to do it. Sin will become gross to him because it is all against the greatest object of his love, God. His own sin will be more detestable than any. 

What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?…Romans 6: 1-2

For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in resurrection. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. 7 For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.…Romans 6: 5-7

Preserve man and beast - Everything has been so perfectly and marvelously designed, that even it's fallen state, the earth still provides for the many creatures upon it. There is beauty even in entropy, how marvelous is such grace, taller than mountains, deeper than oceans, higher than the heavens. 

Shadow of Your wings - It is to me as God protecting us from God, oh what a place, and no greater love than this that a man lay down his life for his friend. Hide me here Lord Jesus, not in the counsel of my pride, the flattery of my lips, the false assurances of my depravity, but in Christ alone, and the life He lived, the death He died, forsaken so that I shall never be. 

Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.…Matthew 23: 36-38

River of Your delights -

“The psalmist’s conception of religion is essentially joyful. No doubt there are sources of sadness peculiar to a religious man, and he is necessarily shut out from much of the effervescent poison of earthly joys drugged with sin. Much in his life is inevitably grave, stern, and sad. But the sources of joy opened are far deeper than those that are closed.” (Maclaren)

Foot of pride -

Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy? 6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.…James 4: 5-7