Faithbase

Good morning. We're going to continue in Psalm chapter 9, and I'll read through verses 15 through 20. I don't know that we'll pray through that whole section this morning, but we'll read that and then come back to what we need to finish up later. Nations have sunk down in the pit which they made, in the net which they hid. Their own foot is caught. The Lord is known by the judgment he executes. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and actually the Hebrew is Sheol. So the wicked shall be turned into Sheol, the grave, or the underworld. And all the nations that forget God, for the needy shall not always be forgotten. The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail. Let the nations be judged in your sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah. Heavenly Father, we know, as we've continued in our prayers through the book of Psalms, that you are the sovereign and mighty God, and that the nations, Lord, are nothing before you. Lord, we know that you also bring judgment against those who determine themselves, whether they be individuals or the corporate entity of a national government, but determine themselves to be above God, or to be God, or to be something that can ignore Almighty God. Yahweh, we thank you that the nations eventually, those that turn away from you, do fall into the pit. They sink into the pit that they have made, and they are unable to continue their machinations, continue their rebellion against you. We are reminded, Lord God, that you say that sin shall be visited upon the third and fourth generation, and in that case, thinking of families. But Lord, that principle that you will limit the extent or the reach of sin, I believe holds true even in this situation, Lord God, that the nations sink into the pit. Lord, you are known by your judgments. You are known by how you bring about your desired end in this realm, in this world. Lord, the judgments that you bring are always just, as we have already noted in earlier portions of this psalm, Lord God, but you are a just and good and righteous God. On the other hand, the wicked are snared in the work of their hands. Lord, they are unjust. The wicked are those who turn away from your ways and do things in a fashion that is displeasing to you and is a harm to their fellow man. Lord, your scripture tells us to think about this, that you are just, that your judgments reveal you. Lord, oftentimes we forget that you are revealed by all your actions, not just the love and the mercy that you show to us in Jesus Christ, but all of your actions express your character. So we think about this now, Lord God, that your judgment is also an expression of your character and that the nations, the wicked are snared in their own machinations, snared in their own activities that are contrary to your will. Lord, I pray your blessings today as we think about this, as we think about your character, your judgment, that is also a part of who you are. And in fact, Lord God, we recognize that your mercy and grace have really no context unless we understand that you are a God who also passes judgment upon those who reject you. Lord, we pray your blessings on this day. Help us to walk in your ways and to please you, we ask. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.