The Reverential Humility of Psalm 138:2–3: Divine Sovereignty, Covenant Faithfulness, and the Supernatural Reign of Perfection Through PronouncementThe Psalmist's Devotional Posture: Bowing Before the Unassailable Throne of Divine AuthorityIn the profound and exultant strains of Psalm 138:2–3, wherein the psalmist—likely David, the anointed king whose victories over foes and false gods bespeak not human prowess but divine favor—proclaims, “I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; you made me bold in my soul with strength,” there unfolds a tapestry of reverence, humility, and thankfulness that transcends mere royal thanksgiving to encapsulate the believer's intimate communion with the God whose supreme authority and unshakeable faithfulness render all earthly pretensions null. This bowing before the holy sanctuary is no servile obeisance but an act of profound devotion, wherein the psalmist humbly declares his intention to bless and honor God's name, acknowledging that God's reputation, promises, and character surpass in value and preciousness anything in the universe—a sentiment that John Calvin, in his Commentary on the Psalms (on Psalm 138), interprets as the soul's ascent to the exaltation of God's word above all things, for it is in the divine name and promise that the covenantal bond finds its indissoluble anchor, as Deuteronomy 28:58 warns that fearing this glorious and awesome name is the prerequisite for blessing.The Intimate Exchange of Prayer and Divine Response: Childlike Confidence and the Foundation of Unfailing LoveWhen the psalmist lifts his voice in prayer, experiencing the divine response—“On the day I called, you answered me; you made me bold in my soul with strength”—this exchange illuminates the intimate, personal relationship between the believer and God, wherein the Almighty is actively involved in the lives of His followers, offering support and reassurance amid trials, much as a father attends to his child. Like children who approach their parents with boldness, asking for great things with faith and trust, believers are encouraged to speak to God with childlike confidence, understanding that His love underpins every blessing—a confidence that Jonathan Edwards, in Religious Affections (Part III), describes as the affective grasp of divine excellency wherein the soul, ravished by God's unfailing love shed abroad by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), transcends self-wrought happiness to desire God alone as the summum bonum. When we learn to call out to Him with the simple yet profound words of faith, our prayers resonate more deeply with His heart, for His unfailing love is the foundation for all our successes and blessings, and as we experience this love repeatedly, it becomes clear that it is the cornerstone of our lives, fueling a sincere desire to honor God's glory and to live in a way that reflects His goodness, as Hebrews 4:16 invites us to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”The King's Victories and God's Sovereignty: Triumph Over Opposition Through Divine FavorThe psalm is written from the perspective of a king who not only rules over his nation with confidence but also celebrates victories in battle, recognizing that these successes are ultimately attributable to God's divine power and favor. The psalmist acknowledges that God's grace is the foundation of his authority and victory; he understands that the defeat of neighboring gods and nations signifies God's sovereignty over all creation and that Israel's rejoicing is rooted in God's mighty acts through their leader. These themes mirror the idea that all blessings and victories come from God's divine authority—God's justice is depicted as a gavel in His hand, and His sovereign power establishes an unassailable kingdom based on His Word and Name, as Psalm 89:14 declares, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you,” a throne whose exaltation above all things (Psalm 138:2) echoes the prophetic vision of Isaiah 42:8, where God refuses to yield His glory to another.The Peril of Negativity and the Unity of Divine Love: Transcending Curses Through Covenant TrustHowever, if your attitude becomes focused on curses, negativity, or doubts about God's goodness, you risk losing sight of His unwavering love; such negativity can hinder your ability to truly encourage and uplift God, causing you to forget that His love is the ultimate foundation of all blessings. When we genuinely grasp and feel God's love for us—deeply and personally—we become united with Him in spirit and purpose, our relationship transforming into one of mutual love and trust, where we recognize that His love is the source of all divine activity and blessing in our lives. In this unity, we find strength, hope, and joy, knowing that God's love never fails and that His divine promises are sure and everlasting—a unity that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together (chapter 1), describes as the fellowship grounded in Christ's mediatorial work, wherein the believer's failures are not pronounced in isolation but covered in the psalms' covenantal assurance, for perfection is a line where failure ceases to exist, and speaking the psalms allows perfection to reign over failure through supernatural cleansing that knows us by God's electing grace.Longing for Divine Greatness: The Spiritual Tools of Covenant and PronouncementDo you long to see God's greatness revealed in your life? To do so, you need to learn how to use His divine promises, covenants, laws, decrees, and even His curses as spiritual tools—motivation that stirs your faith and encourages divine victory. By aligning yourself with God's divine will and praising Him for His mighty deeds, you join the countless angels, saints, and followers who have gone before you, all celebrating the divine power that created the universe and sustains it. This mindset fosters hope, joy, and a positive outlook rooted in trust in God's sovereignty. At its core, the psalm reveals that we serve a God who loves Himself—not out of vanity, but because only God possesses the power to establish righteousness, justice, and truth through His Word and His Name. Our role as His followers is not to try to help or alter God's divine plan out of a misguided sense of control, but to trust wholeheartedly in His perfect sovereignty. Instead of diminishing God's unwavering love through doubt or efforts to assist Him, we should focus on uplifting and praising Him. God takes delight in hearing the voices of the helpless and powerless—whether they are offering sincere praise or lamenting their struggles—because such expressions reflect their recognition of their dependence on Him and their reverence for His divine authority.The Unfailing Love of God: The Cornerstone of Covenant and PronouncementThe psalmist’s emphasis on the divine love and faithfulness—“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (Psalm 36:5)—underscores the covenantal nature of God's relationship with His people. God's love is unwavering and reaches beyond human comprehension; His faithfulness endures through all generations. This divine love is the foundation of the covenant, which is established through promises sworn by God's own self—an oath that He will carry out His purpose of salvation and judgment. This covenant love is the security and refuge for the faithful, who find shelter under His wings, regardless of the chaos and wickedness present in the world. God’s divine hatred of rāʿâ is rooted in His covenantal justice and righteousness. Rāʿâ—wickedness, evil, or moral corruption—drives wedges into the fabric of human relationships, fracturing the bonds of love, trust, and fidelity that are at the heart of God's covenant with His people. This hatred of evil is not arbitrary but is rooted in God's holy character and His desire to uphold righteousness and justice. The sin of rāʿâ is always practiced by the heathen, who are described as possessing the spirit of hate—a rebellion against divine authority, manifesting in idolatry, cruelty, and social injustice. In contrast, the saints, indwelt by the fullness of God through the Holy Spirit, embody a different spiritual spirit: the Spirit of love, mercy, and divine righteousness (Ephesians 3:19; Colossians 2:9–10). The Holy Spirit, as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth, enables believers to perceive spiritual realities that transcend natural human understanding. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, wisdom, and discernment—serve to confirm their divine adoption and participation in God's eternal covenant. While saints may stumble and practice sins similar to the wicked—rebellion, self-deception, neglect of the oracles—they do so within the context of divine forgiveness and the ongoing process of sanctification. Their standing before God rests not on their imperfect obedience but on the imputed righteousness of Christ. His perfect obedience and active fulfillment of the covenant are credited to believers, making their relationship with God secure. Romans 4:5–8 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 emphasize the doctrine of imputed righteousness: Christ's righteousness is counted to believers who believe in Him, transforming their standing from condemnation to acceptance. This divine justice and love are expressed supremely in the person and work of Christ, who embodies the fullness of God's holiness and mercy. His atoning sacrifice reconciles the broken covenant, making reconciliation possible for sinners—both in their initial salvation and ongoing sanctification. The gifts of the Spirit, therefore, are not merely moral improvements but supernatural manifestations of God's covenant love working through His saints.The Only True Hate: God's Righteous Indignation and the Call to MercyThe psalmist describes the only true hate as the righteous indignation of God toward the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep” (v. 6) underscores the vastness and certainty of God's justice. Yet, God's justice is intertwined with mercy; He provides opportunities for repentance and salvation, revealing His goodness and patience. God’s promises, articulated through His covenants, offer refuge and security: “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings” (v. 7). This imagery of refuge under divine wings symbolizes divine protection, care, and sovereignty. The name “El” (v. 6), meaning “God,” signifies His sovereignty—He is the eternal, unchanging Lord who rules over all, judging and forgiving according to His perfect righteousness.Conclusion: The Saints’ Participation in Divine Love Through the Implanted OraclesIf it were not for the love and faithfulness of God, we would also break up all that is good in this world. But for the grace of God, “His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and His justice is like the great deep” (v. 6). The psalmist uses the name El to refer to the God who is sovereign and controls all things. This God never changes His law. He judges all things. His curses are always justified. The psalmist describes the only hate as the righteous indignation of God towards the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. The psalmist is speaking of Gods promises in the oracles. God promises to be the refuge that we can flee from all the dangers of this world. The psalmist is teaching that if we do not have the oracles of God in our hearts, then we are engaging in a form of flattery. The phrase "in his own eyes" refers to the wicked mans own heart in the previous verse. The Psalmist has the oracles of God in his heart, but the wicked do not, and that is flattery. The Psalmist is teaching that a heart filled with hate is actually what accuses God of hate by cursing sin. The wicked cannot be justified in this way because of the hate-filled heart. The author is comparing the words of the oracles to the words used by the wicked man. He suggests that the wicked man creates his own god by using the ideas and words of the oracles. In other words, since the man has no fear of God, he hates the oracles and practices making his own god or hating his neighbor. The Psalmist is not talking about the attitude of hate but the process by which the wicked man sees reality. This laziness in understanding the oracles leads to incorrect judgments toward Christians. The grace that God gives us is beyond our understanding. The judgements that we use are very self-deceptive. But thankfully, we do not practice the sin that the Psalmist speaks of here (rāʿâ to undo all good in society—covenant unfaithfulness). Even when we are at our most vulnerable, "the wicked continue to plot evil and commit himself to sinful courses of action." Unlike Christians, "the wicked man does not reject what is wrong." He actively seeks out and destroys all that is good in society. The sin of rāʿâ is one that he does not reject. The primary difference between the saved and the wicked is that the former are saved by grace and have the word of God implanted in them. The latter, however, do not have this understanding of God because they are not given the new man. Thus, while the saved may technically practice the sin of rebellion by not judging by the oracles and the sin of making other gods, not knowing God by the oracles, they do so out of a lack of understanding and not hate—rāʿâ. The Psalmist is not pitting the believer against the wicked man in terms of thoughts and actions, but rather is contrasting the oracles of God with the wicked man's ways. Any man who loves the oracles of God knows that God cannot accept our good works—instead, this is a matter of God's salvation, in which defending God is defending His people. We speak of the law, covenants, curses, decrees, statutes, and promises—and the Psalmist is here speaking of the covenant love of God, who has sworn to Himself to carry it out. "His unfailing love reaches to the heavens." If it were not for the love and faithfulness of God, we would also break up all that is good in this world. But for the grace of God, "His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and His justice is like the great deep." The Psalmist uses the name El to refer to the God who is sovereign and controls all things. This God never changes His law. He judges all things. His curses are always justified. The psalmist describes the only hate as the righteous indignation of God towards the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. "How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." Gods righteous indignation is not hateful because He shows mercy, allowing the wicked time to repent and save themselves. His purpose is to save mankind. God is a good God all the time. He is speaking of Gods promises in the oracles. God promises to be the refuge that we can flee from all the dangers of this world.The Psalmist is teaching that if we do not have the oracles of God in our hearts, then we are engaging in a form of flattery. The phrase "in his own eyes" refers to the wicked mans own heart in the previous verse. The Psalmist has the oracles of God in his heart, but the wicked do not, and that is flattery. The Psalmist is teaching that a heart filled with hate is actually what accuses God of hate by cursing sin. The wicked cannot be justified in this way because of the hate-filled heart.The author is comparing the words of the oracles to the words used by the wicked man. He suggests that the wicked man creates his own god by using the ideas and words of the oracles. In other words, since the man has no fear of God, he hates the oracles and practices making his own god or hating his neighbor. The Psalmist is not talking about the attitude of hate but the process by which the wicked man sees reality. This laziness in understanding the oracles leads to incorrect judgments toward Christians.The grace that God gives us is beyond our understanding. The judgements that we use are very self-deceptive. But thankfully, we do not practice the sin that the Psalmist speaks of here.( ra a to undue all good in society- covenant unfaifulness) Even when the we are at our most vulnerable, "the wicked continue to plot evil and commit himself to sinful courses of action." Unlike Christians, "the wicked man does not reject what is wrong." He actively seeks out and destroys all that is good in society. The sin of ra a is one that he does not reject.The primary difference between the saved and the wicked is that the former are saved by grace and have the word of God implanted in them. The latter, however, do not have this understanding of God because they are not given the new man. Thus, while the saved may technically practice the sin of rebellion by not judging by the oracles and the sin of making other gods, not knowing God by the oracles, they do so out of a lack of understanding and not hate- ra a.The Psalmist is not pitting the believer against the wicked man in terms of thoughts and actions, but rather is contrasting the oracles of God with the wicked man's ways. Any man who loves the oracles of God knows that God cannot accept our good works - instead, this is a matter of God's salvation, in which defending God is defending His people. We speak of the law, covenants, curses, decrees, statutes, and promises - and the Psalmist is here speaking of the covenant love of God, who has sworn to Himself to carry it out. "His unfailing love reaches to the heavens."If it were not for the love and faithfulness of God, we would also break up all that is good in this world. But for the grace of God, "His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and His justice is like the great deep." The Psalmist uses the name EL to refer to the God who is sovereign and controls all things. This God never changes His law. He judges all things. His curses are always justified.The psalmist describes the only hate as the righteous indignation of God towards the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. 7"How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." Gods righteous indignation is not hateful because He shows mercy, allowing the wicked time to repent and save themselves. His purpose is to save mankind. God is a good God all the time. He is speaking of Gods promises in the oracles. God promises to be the refuge that we can flee from all the dangers of this world.
make essay scholarly with difficult sentence structure and theologian and bible support god hates the sin of ra,a because it drives wedges in relations. this is always practiced by the heathen since the have the spirit of hate while the saints have the fullness of god in the holy spirit. this is why the saints see things they cannot explain as the gifts of the spirit are supernatural. and although saints my practice the same sins as the world we have been forgiven by god and we dwell in the eternal substitution which the perfection of god is proven by gods work alone.The Oracular Indwelling of Divine Revelation in Psalm 36: Covenant Love, the Hate-Filled Heart of the Wicked, and the Supernatural Fullness of the Saints in the Holy SpiritThe Oracle Within the Heart: Divine Implantation Versus Self-Deceptive FlatteryIn the luminous yet piercing oracle of Psalm 36, the psalmist unveils a profound theological antithesis between the heart that treasures the oracles of God and the heart that, bereft of divine revelation, flatters itself into lawlessness—“An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes” (v. 1). The psalmist is teaching that if we do not have the oracles of God in our hearts, then we are engaging in a form of flattery; the phrase "in his own eyes" refers to the wicked man's own heart in the previous verse. The psalmist has the oracles of God in his heart, but the wicked do not, and that is flattery. This self-flattery fosters a false sense of security, as he perceives himself as righteous or at least beyond judgment, when in reality, his heart is darkened, and his moral compass is skewed by sin. Augustine, in On the Spirit and the Letter (chapters 8–10), elucidates that the law written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) is the grace that transforms the will, so that the believer desires what God desires; the wicked, lacking this implantation, flatter themselves in their own eyes (Psalm 36:2), devising iniquity upon their beds (v. 4) and setting themselves against the Lord rather than fearing Him.The Hate-Filled Heart and the Accusation Against God: The Process of Perverted RealityThe psalmist is teaching that a heart filled with hate is actually what accuses God of hate by cursing sin. The wicked cannot be justified in this way because of the hate-filled heart. The author is comparing the words of the oracles to the words used by the wicked man. He suggests that the wicked man creates his own god by using the ideas and words of the oracles. In other words, since the man has no fear of God, he hates the oracles and practices making his own god or hating his neighbor. The psalmist is not talking about the attitude of hate but the process by which the wicked man sees reality. This laziness in understanding the oracles leads to incorrect judgments toward Christians. John Calvin, in his Commentary on the Psalms (on Psalm 36:1–4), observes that the absence of the fear of God before the wicked man’s eyes is the root of all his flattery and hatred; he does not hate sin because he does not know God through the oracles, and thus he hates his neighbor and ultimately projects that hatred onto God, accusing Him of the very hate that dwells within his own heart.Grace Beyond Understanding: The Implanted Oracles and the Saints’ ForgivenessThe grace that God gives us is beyond our understanding. The judgments that we use are very self-deceptive. But thankfully, we do not practice the sin that the psalmist speaks of here (rāʿâ to undo all good in society—covenant unfaithfulness). Even when we are at our most vulnerable, "the wicked continue to plot evil and commit himself to sinful courses of action." Unlike Christians, "the wicked man does not reject what is wrong." He actively seeks out and destroys all that is good in society. The sin of rāʿâ is one that he does not reject. The primary difference between the saved and the wicked is that the former are saved by grace and have the word of God implanted in them. The latter, however, do not have this understanding of God because they are not given the new man. Thus, while the saved may technically practice the sin of rebellion by not judging by the oracles and the sin of making other gods, not knowing God by the oracles, they do so out of a lack of understanding and not hate—rāʿâ. The psalmist is not pitting the believer against the wicked man in terms of thoughts and actions, but rather is contrasting the oracles of God with the wicked man's ways. The psalmist, contrastingly, possesses the divine oracles within his heart—a divine seed implanted by God's grace that exposes the wickedness of those who lack it. This implanted word acts as a moral and spiritual mirror, revealing the true nature of the wicked man’s heart, which is filled with hatred, rebellion, and contempt for God. The wicked's hatred manifests in cursing sin and refusing to fear the Lord—a fundamental denial of divine authority. Because the heart that hates God cannot stand before His righteousness, the self-justification of the wicked crumbles under divine scrutiny, revealing their true nature as enemies of God's covenant love. The contrast continues as the psalmist delineates the words of the oracles versus the words forged by the wicked man. Without the fear of God before his eyes, the wicked man hates the divine oracles, which serve as the covenantal standards of righteousness. Instead, he fabricates his own gods—idols of his own making—or hates his neighbor, which becomes a manifestation of his internal rebellion.God’s Hatred of Rāʿâ: Relational Fracture and the Spirit of Hate Versus the Fullness of GodGod hates the sin of rāʿâ because it drives wedges in relations. This is always practiced by the heathen since they have the spirit of hate while the saints have the fullness of God in the Holy Spirit. This is why the saints see things they cannot explain as the gifts of the Spirit are supernatural. And although saints may practice the same sins as the world we have been forgiven by God and we dwell in the eternal substitution which the perfection of God is proven by God's work alone. The Holy Spirit, as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth, enables believers to perceive spiritual realities that transcend natural human understanding. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, wisdom, and discernment—serve to confirm their divine adoption and participation in God's eternal covenant. While saints may stumble and practice sins similar to the wicked—rebellion, self-deception, neglect of the oracles—they do so within the context of divine forgiveness and the ongoing process of sanctification. Their standing before God rests not on their imperfect obedience but on the imputed righteousness of Christ. His perfect obedience and active fulfillment of the covenant are credited to believers, making their relationship with God secure. Romans 4:5–8 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 emphasize the doctrine of imputed righteousness: Christ's righteousness is counted to believers who believe in Him, transforming their standing from condemnation to acceptance. This divine justice and love are expressed supremely in the person and work of Christ, who embodies the fullness of God's holiness and mercy. His atoning sacrifice reconciles the broken covenant, making reconciliation possible for sinners—both in their initial salvation and ongoing sanctification. The gifts of the Spirit, therefore, are not merely moral improvements but supernatural manifestations of God's covenant love working through His saints.The Only True Hate: God's Righteous Indignation and the Call to MercyThe psalmist describes the only true hate as the righteous indignation of God toward the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep” (v. 6) underscores the vastness and certainty of God's justice. Yet, God's justice is intertwined with mercy; He provides opportunities for repentance and salvation, revealing His goodness and patience. God’s promises, articulated through His covenants, offer refuge and security: “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings” (v. 7). This imagery of refuge under divine wings symbolizes divine protection, care, and sovereignty. The name “El” (v. 6), meaning “God,” signifies His sovereignty—He is the eternal, unchanging Lord who rules over all, judging and forgiving according to His perfect righteousness. If it were not for the love and faithfulness of God, we would also break up all that is good in this world. But for the grace of God, "His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and His justice is like the great deep." The Psalmist uses the name EL to refer to the God who is sovereign and controls all things. This God never changes His law. He judges all things. His curses are always justified. God's righteous indignation is not hateful because He shows mercy, allowing the wicked time to repent and save themselves. His purpose is to save mankind. God is a good God all the time. He is speaking of Gods promises in the oracles. God promises to be the refuge that we can flee from all the dangers of this world.Conclusion: The Saints’ Participation in Divine Love Through the Implanted OraclesAny man who loves the oracles of God knows that God cannot accept our good works—instead, this is a matter of God's salvation, in which defending God is defending His people. We speak of the law, covenants, curses, decrees, statutes, and promises—and the Psalmist is here speaking of the covenant love of God, who has sworn to Himself to carry it out. "His unfailing love reaches to the heavens." The psalmist’s emphasis on the divine love and faithfulness—“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (v. 5)—underscores the covenantal nature of God's relationship with His people. God's love is unwavering and reaches beyond human comprehension; His faithfulness endures through all generations. This divine love is the foundation of the covenant, which is established through promises sworn by God's own self—an oath that He will carry out His purpose of salvation and judgment. This covenant love is the security and refuge for the faithful, who find shelter under His wings, regardless of the chaos and wickedness present in the world.
make essay scholarly with difficult sentence structure and theologian and bible support god hates the sin of ra,a because it drives wedges in relations. this is always practiced by the heathen since the have the spirit of hate while the saints have the fullness of god in the holy spirit. this is why the saints see things they cannot explain as the gifts of the spirit are supernatural. and although saints my practice the same sins as the world we have been forgiven by god and we dwell in the eternal substitution which the perfection of god is proven by gods work alone.The Oracular Indwelling of Divine Revelation in Psalm 36: Covenant Love, the Hate-Filled Heart of the Wicked, and the Supernatural Fullness of the Saints in the Holy SpiritThe Oracle Within the Heart: Divine Implantation Versus Self-Deceptive FlatteryIn the luminous yet piercing oracle of Psalm 36, the psalmist unveils a profound theological antithesis between the heart that treasures the oracles of God and the heart that, bereft of divine revelation, flatters itself into lawlessness—“An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes” (v. 1). The psalmist is teaching that if we do not have the oracles of God in our hearts, then we are engaging in a form of flattery; the phrase "in his own eyes" refers to the wicked man's own heart in the previous verse. The psalmist has the oracles of God in his heart, but the wicked do not, and that is flattery. This self-flattery fosters a false sense of security, as he perceives himself as righteous or at least beyond judgment, when in reality, his heart is darkened, and his moral compass is skewed by sin. Augustine, in On the Spirit and the Letter (chapters 8–10), elucidates that the law written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) is the grace that transforms the will, so that the believer desires what God desires; the wicked, lacking this implantation, flatter themselves in their own eyes (Psalm 36:2), devising iniquity upon their beds (v. 4) and setting themselves against the Lord rather than fearing Him.The Hate-Filled Heart and the Accusation Against God: The Process of Perverted RealityThe psalmist is teaching that a heart filled with hate is actually what accuses God of hate by cursing sin. The wicked cannot be justified in this way because of the hate-filled heart. The author is comparing the words of the oracles to the words used by the wicked man. He suggests that the wicked man creates his own god by using the ideas and words of the oracles. In other words, since the man has no fear of God, he hates the oracles and practices making his own god or hating his neighbor. The psalmist is not talking about the attitude of hate but the process by which the wicked man sees reality. This laziness in understanding the oracles leads to incorrect judgments toward Christians. John Calvin, in his Commentary on the Psalms (on Psalm 36:1–4), observes that the absence of the fear of God before the wicked man’s eyes is the root of all his flattery and hatred; he does not hate sin because he does not know God through the oracles, and thus he hates his neighbor and ultimately projects that hatred onto God, accusing Him of the very hate that dwells within his own heart.Grace Beyond Understanding: The Implanted Oracles and the Saints’ ForgivenessThe grace that God gives us is beyond our understanding. The judgments that we use are very self-deceptive. But thankfully, we do not practice the sin that the psalmist speaks of here (rāʿâ to undo all good in society—covenant unfaithfulness). Even when we are at our most vulnerable, "the wicked continue to plot evil and commit himself to sinful courses of action." Unlike Christians, "the wicked man does not reject what is wrong." He actively seeks out and destroys all that is good in society. The sin of rāʿâ is one that he does not reject. The primary difference between the saved and the wicked is that the former are saved by grace and have the word of God implanted in them. The latter, however, do not have this understanding of God because they are not given the new man. Thus, while the saved may technically practice the sin of rebellion by not judging by the oracles and the sin of making other gods, not knowing God by the oracles, they do so out of a lack of understanding and not hate—rāʿâ. The psalmist is not pitting the believer against the wicked man in terms of thoughts and actions, but rather is contrasting the oracles of God with the wicked man's ways. The psalmist, contrastingly, possesses the divine oracles within his heart—a divine seed implanted by God's grace that exposes the wickedness of those who lack it. This implanted word acts as a moral and spiritual mirror, revealing the true nature of the wicked man’s heart, which is filled with hatred, rebellion, and contempt for God. The wicked's hatred manifests in cursing sin and refusing to fear the Lord—a fundamental denial of divine authority. Because the heart that hates God cannot stand before His righteousness, the self-justification of the wicked crumbles under divine scrutiny, revealing their true nature as enemies of God's covenant love. The contrast continues as the psalmist delineates the words of the oracles versus the words forged by the wicked man. Without the fear of God before his eyes, the wicked man hates the divine oracles, which serve as the covenantal standards of righteousness. Instead, he fabricates his own gods—idols of his own making—or hates his neighbor, which becomes a manifestation of his internal rebellion.God’s Hatred of Rāʿâ: Relational Fracture and the Spirit of Hate Versus the Fullness of GodGod hates the sin of rāʿâ because it drives wedges in relations. This is always practiced by the heathen since they have the spirit of hate while the saints have the fullness of God in the Holy Spirit. This is why the saints see things they cannot explain as the gifts of the Spirit are supernatural. And although saints may practice the same sins as the world we have been forgiven by God and we dwell in the eternal substitution which the perfection of God is proven by God's work alone. The Holy Spirit, as the Comforter and the Spirit of truth, enables believers to perceive spiritual realities that transcend natural human understanding. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, wisdom, and discernment—serve to confirm their divine adoption and participation in God's eternal covenant. While saints may stumble and practice sins similar to the wicked—rebellion, self-deception, neglect of the oracles—they do so within the context of divine forgiveness and the ongoing process of sanctification. Their standing before God rests not on their imperfect obedience but on the imputed righteousness of Christ. His perfect obedience and active fulfillment of the covenant are credited to believers, making their relationship with God secure. Romans 4:5–8 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 emphasize the doctrine of imputed righteousness: Christ's righteousness is counted to believers who believe in Him, transforming their standing from condemnation to acceptance. This divine justice and love are expressed supremely in the person and work of Christ, who embodies the fullness of God's holiness and mercy. His atoning sacrifice reconciles the broken covenant, making reconciliation possible for sinners—both in their initial salvation and ongoing sanctification. The gifts of the Spirit, therefore, are not merely moral improvements but supernatural manifestations of God's covenant love working through His saints.The Only True Hate: God's Righteous Indignation and the Call to MercyThe psalmist describes the only true hate as the righteous indignation of God toward the wicked who practice evil, rather than the saints taking vengeance themselves. “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep” (v. 6) underscores the vastness and certainty of God's justice. Yet, God's justice is intertwined with mercy; He provides opportunities for repentance and salvation, revealing His goodness and patience. God’s promises, articulated through His covenants, offer refuge and security: “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings” (v. 7). This imagery of refuge under divine wings symbolizes divine protection, care, and sovereignty. The name “El” (v. 6), meaning “God,” signifies His sovereignty—He is the eternal, unchanging Lord who rules over all, judging and forgiving according to His perfect righteousness. If it were not for the love and faithfulness of God, we would also break up all that is good in this world. But for the grace of God, "His righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and His justice is like the great deep." The Psalmist uses the name EL to refer to the God who is sovereign and controls all things. This God never changes His law. He judges all things. His curses are always justified. God's righteous indignation is not hateful because He shows mercy, allowing the wicked time to repent and save themselves. His purpose is to save mankind. God is a good God all the time. He is speaking of Gods promises in the oracles. God promises to be the refuge that we can flee from all the dangers of this world.Conclusion: The Saints’ Participation in Divine Love Through the Implanted OraclesAny man who loves the oracles of God knows that God cannot accept our good works—instead, this is a matter of God's salvation, in which defending God is defending His people. We speak of the law, covenants, curses, decrees, statutes, and promises—and the Psalmist is here speaking of the covenant love of God, who has sworn to Himself to carry it out. "His unfailing love reaches to the heavens." The psalmist’s emphasis on the divine love and faithfulness—“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (v. 5)—underscores the covenantal nature of God's relationship with His people. God's love is unwavering and reaches beyond human comprehension; His faithfulness endures through all generations. This divine love is the foundation of the covenant, which is established through promises sworn by God's own self—an oath that He will carry out His purpose of salvation and judgment. This covenant love is the security and refuge for the faithful, who find shelter under His wings, regardless of the chaos and wickedness present in the world.
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