Psalm 7:11-13
“God is a righteous judge; and God is angry with the wicked every day! If he does not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts!”
David begins Psalm 97 with, “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice!”
David begins Psalm 99 with, “The Lord reigns; let the earth tremble!”
Either exhortation is suitable, according to the people who are more especially addressed.
The godly may well rejoice, that He whom they serve, has all things at his command!
Well may the ungodly tremble, that He whom they offend is able to vindicate the honor of his insulted Majesty!
To the oppressors and oppressed—this truth is of equal importance.
The oppressed David, reflecting on it with delight, said, “My defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart, verse 10.”
But the oppressor may expect this Almighty Being to espouse the cause of his people, and to execute upon their enemies the vengeance which they deserve.
I. In the words before us we see the conduct of God in his moral government here on earth.
The righteous are the objects of Gods tender care.
The Jews were governed by judges for above four hundred years, Acts 13:20; and the term “judging” was used as importing government and protection. In this sense David uses it in another Psalm, where he says, “O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth! Psalm 67:4.”
Now, there is not any benefit which the most wise or powerful earthly monarch can bestow on his subjects, which God will not impart to his obedient people. Particularly will he shield them from every oppressor, and keep them safely under the shadow of his wings. His care of Abraham and the Patriarchs, in all their pilgrimages, and in all their perils, well illustrates this; as does more especially his constant and miraculous interposition on the behalf of David, amidst the bitter persecutions of the unrelenting Saul. The deliverances given to God’s saints of old are still continued to his Church and people; though, from their being less visible, they are, for the most part, overlooked. But God is still “a wall of fire round about them! Zechariah 2:5;” and “whoever touches one of them, touches the apple of His eye! Zechariah 2:8.”
The wicked, on the contrary, are the objects of God’s merited displeasure.
He is not indifferent about the actions of men, as too many suppose. He marks the conduct of the wicked; and “he is angry with them every day.” Of course, we are not to suppose that God really feels those strong emotions which we call anger and wrath; such expressions are applied to him only in a figurative sense, in order to teach us what will be his responses towards us. But we do right to use the language of Scripture; and, in conformity with that, I say, that he views with indignation the impiety of those who cast off his fear, and walk after the imagination of their own hearts.
Whether their actions are more or less decent in the eyes of the world, it makes but little difference in God’s eyes, so long as they live to themselves, instead of unto him. He looks for them to repent, and “turn to him;” and for this event he waits with much patience and forbearance, “not willing that any of them should perish, but that they all should come to repentance and live.”
If they would turn to him, he would lay aside his anger in an instant, and receive them into his arms of mercy. But, while they continue impenitent, he meditates nothing but to display towards them his merited indignation. With a view to their punishment, “he whets his sword, and bends, with an unerring hand, his bow for their destruction.” Could we but see with the eye of faith, we would behold the arrow, now already on the string, pointed at their hearts; and nothing remaining, but that the string be loosed from his hand, to bring them down, and to cast them into everlasting perdition!
For them, too, he is preparing the instrument of death, even of everlasting death; as it is written, “Tophet is ordained of old; for the King it is prepared; he has made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, does kindle it Isaiah 30:33.” Happy would it be if a thoughtless world would consider this; for, whether they will reflect upon it or not, “Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping! 2 Peter 2:3.”
II. God’s equitable judgement will be rendered visible to all in his judicial proceedings at the last day.
Then will God approve and reward the righteous.
Here on earth they are traduced, and loaded with all manner of obloquy; but there, “He, that tries the hearts and thoughts, Psalm 7:9,” will appear in their behalf, and vindicate them from the calumnies with which they have been aspersed. He will bear testimony to those secret principles of faith and love whereby they were enabled to live to his glory; and then shall “their righteousness shine forth as the noon-day.”
All that they did for him in this world was misinterpreted, as proceeding from pride, or vanity, or hypocrisy—but he will acknowledge them as “Israelites in whom was no deceit;” and, in the presence of their now prostrate enemies, he will exalt them to thrones and kingdoms for evermore!
But God will then consign the wicked to merited shame and punishment.
It is remarkable that the day of judgment is called, by Peter, “the day of the perdition of ungodly men, 2 Peter 3:7.” Yes, here on earth, for the most part, they escaped punishment; but there they shall all, without exception, meet a just reward. Wherever they have fled to hide themselves, “his right hand shall find them out;” and to his attendant angels he will say, “Bring here those who were my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, and slay them before me!”
Hear how God contemplates the judgments that await them, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them! Deuteronomy 32:35.” “As surely as I live forever, when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders!” Deuteronomy 32:40-42.”
It is true that these judgments have a primary reference to this world; but they show how inconceivably awful must be the vengeance which he will execute on the ungodly in the world to come! Who can think of these judgments and not tremble? For “who knows the power of his anger?” and “who can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
Application.
1. See the importance of ascertaining your real character before God.
If you will inquire who the wicked are, to whom this fearful doom will be assigned—you will scarcely find one who thinks that they are wicked; all hope that they are in a better state. But God will not judge us by the standard which we have fixed for ourselves, but by that which he has established for us in his Law and in his Gospel.
To what purpose, then, will you deceive yourselves now, when you will so soon be undeceived, and reap the bitter fruits of your folly? O! turn to the Lord without delay; and never rest until you are soundly converted.
2. See the blessedness of having God for your friend.
If God is your enemy—then the whole world cannot protect you from his avenging arm! But if God is your friend—then who, or what, can really harm you? As for man, he cannot touch a hair of your head without God’s permission; and if he is allowed to assault you for a time—then you shall have an ample recompense in the eternal world. Realize the idea that God is governing the world, and will judge it in the last day; and then you need not fear what all the confederate hosts of earth and Hell can do against you!
Charles Simeon