Dan’s Bible Fellowship Class

It’s not what you think; or is it?

In Psalm 7 David is crying out to God over some claim, charge or criticism that has been put on him by someone (perhaps Cush, a Benjamite).  He calls out to God for God to place his judgment on this bad guy.  

In verse 9 he writes, “Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just;  For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.”  

This really caught my eye.  David wants the just (presumably him) to be “established”.  

I wonder what he really means by “just.”

When I think of “just” I think of “fair” or “inherently right”.  I’ve recently heard a guy say, “I’m just going to do what is right.”  Of course what he was really saying is that he was going to do what was right “in his eyes.”  Perhaps that statement was rolling around in my head when I read this verse which calls for the “just” to be established.

If my “right” and his “right” are two different paths, then who is to say which of us is “right.”  Who is to say which path is the “right” path?  This arises most frequently where there are shades of gray in the decision.  Do I steal or not steal?  Pretty easy decision; no gray there.  But where there’s gray, it’s a little harder.

Then the second part of that verse jumps out:  “For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.”  

So the “just” that will be “established” will be established as judged by God, who is righteous, and who “tests” the hearts and mind of man.    So what God is saying here is that He “tests” my heart and “tests” my mind.  

In Jeremiah 17:10 God says, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”

So what is in my mind?  What will you see Lord when you look into my mind?  Will you see me making decisions based upon the direction of your Word or the expediency of the moment?  Will you see me pouring into my mind images and thoughts that will glorify you, or feed my fleshly desires?  When you look into my heart do you see my devotion to my wife so that I might be “enraptured with her love”?  (Proverbs 6:19).  This causes me to think about what I’m allowing into my mind.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord.”  Jeremiah 17:5.  I want my heart to seek God not be repugnant to God.  Again, it’s the gray that’s causing me to ponder here.