Psalm 7 - God as Judge.

Psalm 7 - What it means to me.

Lord, save me from those who would harm me, evil spirits or people.

Lord, if I have done evil, such as harming someone who trusted me or stolen something, then let those I harmed catch me and judge me.

Please rise up against my enemies. I look forward to the day you judge all people. You will decree justice. You will show who is innocent and bring an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous safe.
You are the God of all good who sees into the minds of hearts of all people.

My shield is God Himself who saves those who give their hearts to him. My God is a great and good judge. He is angry with evil. He knows the best time to punish evil.

An evil man conceives trouble, is pregnant with evil and gives birth to disillusionment.
An evil man digs a hole and then falls in it himself.
An evil man's violence comes down on his own head.

I'm so thankful God is good. I will praise him every day.

Psalm 1

I thought I'd give a try at putting the Psalms into my own words. The Psalms is the book that helps me the most in life. I believe God understands our feelings and our day to day life when I read them.

Psalm 1

It feels so good inside not to listen to the wicked or hang around with them. I love to think about the good things God has done and what he has told us to do.

It is like being a tree planted by a stream. It is always watered, like the Holy Spirit waters me. He enables me to grow fruit so I can bring joy to others.

This isn't true of wicked people. They do worthless things that will be blown away forever. They will be judged for what they do that hurts other people.

For God watches over the path of the ones who love Him.
But the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Can the Soul Die?

Last night, I listened to a sermon online about hell. This preacher said he didn't believe the fire that describes hell was a literal fire but was symbolic of how a person would feel inside forever. They would be full of horror etc. forever, because the soul cannot die.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say the wicked will live forever. Nowhere.

Jesus himself said, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28

Destroy. What does that mean? Living forever in torment? No.

"The soul who sins shall die." Ezekiel 18:20

God does say the smoke of their death will go on forever. Smoke is all that is left after something is burned up. It is the result of a fire, not the fire itself. We will not forget the result of sin forever. This will keep the universe safe forever since we will never be tempted to experiment with sin. We will always remember the result of living a life apart from God.

"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Revelation 14:11

"And now they sin more and more, And make for themselves molten images, Idols skillfully made from their silver, All of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves! Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window. Hosea 13:2,3

"But the wicked will perish: Though the LORD's enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke." Psalm 37:20

"Night and day it shall not be quenched; its smoke shall go up forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.And the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into sulfur; her land shall become burning pitch." Isaiah 34:9,10

"And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts." Malachi 4:3

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." Malachi 4:1

Writing of Babylon, which represents the wicked and confusion of the world at the end of time, the Bible says after she is destroyed by God, "The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” Rev. 19:3

And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades (hell) gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Revelation 20:13,14

This verse says plainly that death and hell (one's punishment) will be destroyed in the lake of fire at the time of judgement.

Does God want to punish people? No.

"Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Ezekiel 33:11

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Revelation 20:12

There is nothing fairer than being judged on what you have done. If you have used people and hurt them, you will be judged for that. "When I select an appointed time, It is I who judge with equity." Psalm 75:2 Equity means:
 eq·ui·ty  

1. The state, quality, or ideal of being just, impartial, and fair.

2. Something that is just, impartial, and fair.

Is God reasonable? Is God sane? Is God full of love and compssion? If this is true, he will not punish people forever and ever keeping them alive in torment.

Judging the World.