Psalms 53-54 – Day 1
"God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!" – Psalm 53:2-3 NLT
According to God, the world is full of fools – those individuals who act and live as if there is no God. Even those who claim to know Him act as if He either doesn't care about what they do or He is too powerless to do anything about it. Then there are those who just refuse to believe in Him altogether. These people "are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" (Psalm 53:1 NLT). This is not a very promising assessment on the character or condition of mankind. It leaves little doubt, at least from God's perspective, that man is inherently wicked and in open rebellion against Him. Yet God is still reaching out to man, offering mercy and forgiveness. He will ultimately be forced to punish all those who refuse to accept His offer of new life through His Son, but until then, He keeps providing opportunities for them to repent and return to Him.
And while the world is a less-than-ideal place, full of people obsessed with their own agendas, consumed by their own importance, and controlled by their own sin natures, David gives us a glimpse of God's goodness as he reminds us that God is always there for us even in the midst of all the evil that surrounds us. "But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!" (Psalm 54:4 NLT). David appeals to God's power and places himself at God's mercy to rescue him from his enemies. Those who care nothing at all for God are making David's life miserable. But David knows he can call out to God, and not only will God hear him, He will answer. David has seen the goodness of God time and time again in his life, delivering him from troubles and trials, rescuing him from every conceivable kind of predicament. And while he is a firm believer that "no one does good, not a single one," David knows that God can and does do good for those who love Him. And David's response is to offer God praise and gratitude. He says, "I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you" – not something required or coerced, but of his own free will. "I will praise your name, O Lord, for it it good" (Psalm 54:6 NLT). God's name, which is really addressing His reputation or fame, is nothing but good. All that God does is good, even when He has to deal with those who are bad. God is righteous and right, always doing what is the right thing to do. He never does wrong. He is just in all His actions towards men. He never punishes unjustly or unfairly. He is good. And it doesn't matter whether men reject Him, ignore Him, or attempt to deny He even exists. God remains good even when things appear bad.
Father, we live in a world that is sick and dying. It is filled with people who refuse to love and serve You. Many refuse to even believe in You. And yet, You remain good. You continue to make the sun shine on all men, showering them with Your common grace. You make the crops grow, the rain to fall, and the air breathable. You constantly offer the free gift of grace available through Your Son. And You care for Your own, providing them with a listening ear and a powerful hand to rescue and restore them. You are indeed a good God. Amen