The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing (Psalm 112:10).
Many citizens of our beloved country have grimaced and “gnashed their teeth” this past week. Our State President and his cronies seem hell-bent on self-enrichment. Even our institutions of justice seem more like vultures than hawks.
Psalm 112 declares that, ultimately, it is the wicked who will gnash their teeth; their longings will come to nothing. The righteous, however, are generous (v.5) and lavish gifts on the poor (v.9). They need never fear bad news (v.7).
People of faith see the world differently because we trust that God sees the world. God sees our needs and provides abundantly. God sees our generosity and rewards handsomely. God sees wickedness and responds justly. No wonder the Psalmist says in another place “do not fret because of the wicked…they will soon fade like grass. Trust in the Lord and do good”.
As we learned from Colossians recently, the baptised have let go of greed and been clothed with kindness (Col. 3.5ff). On Sunday, as Emily Ann White and Daniel Kleynhans are baptised into this blessed way of life, we are all reminded of who we are and whose we are.
God Bless, Sean