Psalm 119:128

Psalm 119:128 “and because I consider all Your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.”
 

The evil path is the one that does not follow God’s instructions. “Precepts” is the word “instructions.” When God instructs us, we are to follow those instructions explicitly. Wavering from God’s instructions is evil. David lived under the oppression of King Saul for many years. He knew first hand that disobeying God’s instructions was evil.
 

In 1 Samuel 15:3, God had instructed King Saul, “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” He was instructed to destroy all traces of the Amalekites. In verse 9 we read, “But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs – everything that was good.” In verse 10-11 we read, “Then the Word of the Lord cane to Samuel: “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.’” God gave explicit instructions to destroy everything that represented the Amalekites. 

The Amalekites were very fleshly, carnal people. They represented man’s continual struggle with the flesh. If Saul would have completely destroyed them, we would not be so subject to fleshly problems today. However, Saul did not carry out God’s instructions completely. His actions were considered so evil by God that He ultimately removed Saul from his position as King. David so loved his God that he literally hated everything that was not in accordance with God’s precepts.

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse; as you do, ask yourself if you obey God explicitly, or do you have little “insignificant” areas of disobedience in your life?  Continued