December 8, 2019 -- Psalm 119:69 -- Nonchalant insolence and Judgment

The insolent smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;

Psalm 119:69 English Standard Version

The insolent are those who have no idea of what they are toying with. Some crocodiles deposit their eggs in a nest and leave them unattended to fend for themselves. Some do not. Some build a nest and guard their young. The insolent are those who are nonchalantly collecting crocodile eggs without realizing the dire danger they are in. The defending crocodile is swiftly hurtling through the waters to defend the young. The insolent figure there will never be a judgment or a reckoning. All of Scripture reveals the beliefs of the insolent to be false. The just Judge of the Heavens and the Earth will rise up (Psalm 94:2 et al).

There is a subtle play of language taking place here which I didn’t notice until I read the original Hebrew. These insolent ones are trying to glue their lies onto the writer of this psalm. They are trying to make their gushing lies and falsehoods stick to the man of integrity. These won’t stick; cannot stick. Why?

The man of God is dedicating his whole heart to keeping the instructions (a.k.a. the precepts) of the Living God. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied:

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses,

and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit

I will put within you.

Ezekiel 36:25-26

It is the work of God, Who is Just and True in all His ways (Revelation 15:3), to purify His people; it is the Spirit of God Who exposes lies and dissolves adhering falsehoods. The man or woman who dedicates his heart to God, who desires purity which finds it source in the LORD alone—that person will be made clean. It is the for the greater glory of God our Father that He has chosen to bring sons and daughters to the healing and cleansing that Jesus brings. It is the work of the Spirit to apply the solvent of Christ’s blood and purifying work to the deepest core of a person’s existence so that every trace of the lie is removed and the believer is made pure from the inside out. In fact, it is the Spirit of God Who softens our hearts so that goodness and blessings of God are made attractive to us. We are so papered over with lies and glued stuck with sins inside and out that we need outside help. We are unable to free ourselves. The Spirit reveals to us Jesus, so that we long to be made clean through Him, and all the lies which the insolent smeared on us and glued to our reputation will come undone and we will be whiter than snow.

Truly the carol writer captured the magnificence of Your salvation plan, LORD of glory, when penning the words, “of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be”. For truly Jesus’ birth is forever blessed and He is the Savior of our race—therefore to You, Christ with the Father and the Spirit there shall be hymn and chant and high thanksgiving and the shout of jubilee. Praise and honour, blessing and might, power and worship be unto You, Triune God, will ever be spoken, hymned and shouted from the hearts and mouths of those who have been made clean. Glory is Yours—glory in the highest. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOF9JLJkPis