Psalms 4 (Part II)

² How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood? Selah
³ But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

David is asking his own fellow people, how long will you seek to ruin me?  Why do you look to run me down and destroy all the good that was done and make it shameful.

It is important to remember Israel and David's path.  Israel had wanted a king even though God had wanted Israel to make God their king.  But, being a giving God, he allowed them to choose one and they chose a handsome, tall, king in Saul.  The problem was that Saul wasn't kingly, but cowardly.  God saw Israel's desire and need for a good king so He picked David.  David was courageous and knew how to trust God to do a miracle when faced with death if you have to rely upon yourself.  Saul turned evil, then finally was slain in battle, and David became the rightful king.  God then used David and restored all of Israel against its enemies and prospered.

But then, in a moment of boredom and wandering or slack hands, David sinned against God.  Nathan showed his sin to him and David repented and was restored.  Except there was division in his family with his children.  His son mistreated his daughter.  And now, finally , we are where this Psalm is purported to be written around.  David's own son is gathering an ever increasing number against David and David has had to flee until the time he is directed and will have to strike his own son down.

And so, he calls to Israel who follows an insolent son who has not been made right or restored to God for his own sins against his sister, "Why do you seek to turn all the glory of God through David to shame?  Why do you love things of no worth and look for lies?  Don't you know that God will set apart for Himself who is His, but moreso, I know my God and He will hear me."  I find David's ability to separate his love for his son from his love for the righteousness of God absolutely incredible.

Unfortunately, I find this to be a direct match to our times and our culture.  The amount of good and unbelievable things a leader has done for this country or others becomes of very little value against the one bad thing they probably have done.  I'm not sure how the weighting scale of culture's grading goes, but it seems it becomes a political agenda immediately.  And our culture certainly doesn't practice forgiveness except in the character of an ungodly person.  It is exactly opposite of the ways of God.  An ungodly person is forgiven and given many chances for success.  But a Godly person is unforgiven.  I can only surmise the reasoning is that if you believe in a standard such as God's and can't keep it you are characteristically flawed, but if you believe in nothing and don't achieve it, it is okay.

I am also reminded of our country today as it seems we have a leader who lies and lies and seems directly opposed to what is best for our nation yet all is overlooked.  "How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?"   David asked the people and that question could be asked of our country today.  Will we turn God's glory and blessings to shame?  Most definitely, if we don't find a way to change the direction of the people's will to look to God.