Psalm 119:158

Psalm 119:158 “I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey Your word.”
 

David is expressing his zeal for God in this verse. His love for God’s Word is so great that he is disgusted with those who do not obey it. It is easy to relate to the contempt David felt when it comes to those who mock God and His Word.
 

It is one thing to be zealous for God, it is another thing to be like God. In our zeal for God, we could feel quite justified in loathing those who don’t love God. However, if we have zeal without the balance of mercy, we could actually do damage to the work of God as we try to promote it. Proverbs 19:2 says, “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge.”
 

We need a knowledge of what God is like. God is slow to anger, and full of compassion. Jesus even expressed His disgust with the religious leaders of His day who did not know God. However, the trait we need to pick up is Jesus’ immediate forgiveness for anyone, no matter how loathsome they were. Zeal without knowledge is not good. The knowledge we need centers around God’s mercy. Without an understanding of mercy, we would stand ready to condemn a person to an eternity without God. 

Jesus’ disgust was based on His love for His Father, not on a hatred for the people themselves. Zeal without knowledge can cause us to hate the sinner rather than the sin. As much as Jesus hated sin and was disgusted with those who mocked His Father, He always stood ready to forgive anyone who sought forgiveness. We can do no less. We must intermingle our zeal for God with His mercy and be ready to lead anyone to Jesus if they express repentance – regarless of how loathsome they may seem to be. 

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask yourself how ready you are to lead the unlovely to Christ.   

Continued