In the 1960s, a film called “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” came out. It was a western with a lot of gun fighting and action. I’m not really a fan, but I find the title of the film intriguing. Of the three adjectives in the title — good, bad and ugly — good is obviously in a category by itself. In my mind, the other two — the bad and the ugly — are linked. So just how ugly can the bad get? David deals with that thought in Psalm 36. In. verses 1–4, he speaks of the ugly and bad — the ones he calls the wicked. In verses 5–9, he writes of the only one who is truly good — the Lord God. Look at the stark contrasts between them!
The wicked is wicked. God is righteous. The wicked man falls into sin and can’t see the truth. God is all about truth and justice. The wicked man plots and lies and tears down. God preserves. God preserves both man and beast. God made a world that can sustain both — and he keeps it working. The wicked man is only out to please himself. God is all about love and his love is precious. It never fails. The wicked man doesn’t love. He doesn’t even reject what is wrong. God gives refuge, or protection, to people of any status. God cares for the high — the important, influential and well-to-do — as well as the lowly — the powerless, the overlooked, the poor. In writing about finding refuge in the shadow of God’s wings, we see a picture of God’s welcoming love. The wicked are busy trying to steal and rip people off. God is busy providing blessings beyond measure.
David ends his psalm with prayer. Today, let’s pray for our brothers in sisters in Christ to continue to know and experience God’s love and provision in their lives. David prayed to see the defeat of the wicked. We need to go beyond that and pray for the salvation of the lost!
Lord, we praise you for your goodness and thank you for your faithful love! Help us to show that love to those around us!
Mary Roller
Extended Scripture: Psalms 35–37
