AT THE CROSSROAD OF CHOICE

~Psalm 53~

In-person service at

Second Baptist Church

2412 Griffith Ave.

Los Angeles

William S. Epps, Senior Pastor

Sunday, July 14, 2024

¹Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The goodness of God endureth continually. ²Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. ³Thou lovest evil more than good; And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. ⁴Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. ⁵God shall likewise destroy thee forever, He shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. ⁶The righteous also shall see, and fear, And shall laugh at him: ⁷Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; But trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. ⁸But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. ⁹I will praise thee forever, because thou hast done it: And I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. Psalm 52 KJV

Introduction

There is a lot of reality in the world which presents us with making a choice; a bewildering assortment of values from which to choose; an obstacle course to manage; a sizable amount of chaos on which to impose order; a network of systems that calls

for resistance or compliance. We have to do this choosing, managing, ordering, resistance or complying with a self that is housed in a vulnerable body – a heartbeat away from death – all within a span of time that at its longest, is all too short!

We live our lives at the crossroad of choice. 

How fitting is this passage for where we are as a nation and a world facing the threat of our democratic ideals upon which the country was founded. The disinformation through the Internet has created an alternative source of believing what you receive as real or false, fake or real. A real conundrum to say the least. 

This passage of scripture shares the incident that prompted a boasting that was repugnant and repulsive. The terrible events that prompted this chapter are recorded in 1 Samuel 21-22. Doeg informed Saul regarding David’s presence at the tabernacle of God and regarding the help he received from the priest there. In an evil and

paranoid response, Saul had Doeg kill the priests and others at the tabernacle

(1 Samuel 22:18-19). Though the condemnation of Doeg in this psalm is strong, we sense it should be stronger in light of the mass-murder he committed. This is David’s contemplation upon the incident, a careful examination of the root and end of Doeg’s evil.

Consider what it means to respond in faith when there are those who boast

and do what is repugnant and repulsive in order to do evil to others.

Monday, July 15, 2024

(1-4) The man who loved evil and lying. “Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah. You love all devouring words with your deceitful tongue.”

Consider what it means to believe and trust that the Lord deals with

people who say untruthful things and harm and hurt other people.

Doeg was an Edomite. He is mentioned in First Samuel, chapters 21 and 22, where he is depicted as an antagonist of David and responsible for the deaths of a large number of priests. Life is filled with those who follow the lead of those who are destructive and led by personal interest which manifests itself in the mistreatment of others to fulfill selfish desires. To add insult to injury, they boast about what they are doing and what they are willing to do to achieve their desired outcome. 

Doeg thought highly of himself. He had a smug self-sufficiency that paraded itself because he was convinced of his superiority. Doeg murdered 85 priests who were not trained for battle. 

Consider what it means to be ruthless in the way you achieve

what you want to accomplish. 

David earnestly believed that Doeg’s way would fail, because God’s goodness would outlast evil intentions. It’s true that Doeg was a mighty man, but that was nothing compared to God and God’s never-ending goodness.

Consider what it means to face evil perpetrated by individuals whose

selfishness drives and motivates them to achieve their end goal

despite the extent of the human collateral damage left in their wake.  

Imagine using your speech to devise destruction; working deceitfully to destroy what is to accomplish what you want. The Bible is clear about the deceitfulness of the tongue and speech. Remember the words of James in chapter 3 verses 1-12, where he discusses the power of the tongue, including its ability to cause destruction. James compares the tongue to a fire, a bit that controls a horse, or a rudder that controls a ship, to illustrate how words can have huge consequences either for good or for bad. Imagine language, speech and words that cut like a razor with venom that reveals an evil intent and outcome.  

Consider what it means to hear and respond to devouring words

and lying, acknowledging the threatening atrocity of those

words being actualized into reality.  

David addressed the concerns and issues he was facing with Doeg: ³Thou lovest evil more than good; And lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. ⁴Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. You love evil more than good, lying rather than righteousness.

David addressed Doeg’s wicked heart and mind. The destruction of these razor-sharp words were not an accident or out of character. Some people love evil, and some people love to lie. Doeg fulfilled both aspects. He loved the destruction his devouring words brought.

Consider what it means to discern and respond to those whose hearts

are deceitful and full of lies to promote and perpetuate

what is destructive to so many. 

The psalmist concludes by expressing that trust in the Lord with the Lord’s continued goodness will bring about outcomes commensurate and consistent with one’s faith, one’s doubt or one’s defiant disbelief, or selfishly driven inclinations or motivation within all of their expressions. 

In the final analysis, God rewards according to the goodness of the Lord as your faith has found practice in your actions, behavior and character, which all bring about the consequences of the choice or choices you have made. You are always at the crossroad of choice throughout your life to either trust the Lord or to trust in what it is that claims your allegiance, commitment, faith, and loyalty.

Consider what it means to trust the Lord through all of life’s changing scenes; acknowledging the Lord and the assurance that the Lord directs the paths of those who trust the Lord through whatever life presents. (Proverbs 3:6)

I trust in God wherever I may be,

Upon the land, or on the rolling sea,

For come what may, from day to day,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

He makes the rose an object of His care,

He guides the eagle thro’ the pathless air,

And surely He remembers me;

My heavenly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, for, in the lion’s den,

On battlefield, or in the prison pen,

Thro’ praise or blame, thro’ flood or flame,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

The valley may be dark, the shadows deep,

But O, the Shepherd guards His lonely sheep;

And thro’ the gloom He’ll lead me home,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me;

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Tho’ billows roll, He keeps my soul;

My heavenly Father watches over me.

Second Baptist Church Los Angeles

2412 Griffith Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90011 

Phone: (213) 748-0318