“Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:5 NKJV)
“The wicked will not endure the day of judgment, for God will not defend them. Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long, for they have no part with those who walk in truth.” (Psalm 1:5 TPT)
“They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly.” (Psalm 1:5 NLT)
“Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:5 AMP)
“Therefore the wicked will not survive the judgment, and sinners will not be in the community of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:5 HCSB)
“Because of this, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, neither sinners in the assembly of the righteous ones.” (Psalm 1:5 ABIPE)
“Therefore the wicked will not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:5 Legacy Standard Bible)
“Therefore the ungodly shall not rise in judgment, nor sinners in the counsel of the just.” (Psalm 1:5 Brenton Septuagint Translation)
“Sinners won’t have an excuse on the day of judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God.” (Psalm 1:5 Contemporary English Version)
“Therefore the wicked rise not in judgment, nor sinners in the company of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:5 Young’s Literal Translation)
Judgment: not a very popular topic in this current culture that screams of individualism, freedom to be me, no judgment, and on and on. And yet, here it is staring me in the face.
Daddy, how can I reconcile this verse with all that I know You to be? If Jesus satisfied all of the requirements of the law, paid the complete debt of sin, and reconciled the world to You, how can there still be a “Judgment Day” yet to come?
I have to admit that as I am writing this I am at a loss to be able to yet figure out just what I believe in this area. As I have begun seeking revelation here is what Daddy is speaking to my spirit thus far…
“Before you go any further, stop trying to create doctrines and theologies out of this. I am your Daddy first. Don’t look at this so much through the actions of a “Judge” on a ‘judgment day,’ but as a Father dealing with His children.”
Boy, that shift changes everything. I can’t imagine my earthly father dealing with me in the way that I have at times thought God deals with me. Why have I thought that my earthly dad is more kind, patient, loving, and good than my heavenly Father? Oh Daddy, please forgive me.
So, where does that leave me?
As I continue to ponder Psalm 1:5, before I consider what may take place in the future, Daddy has given me the following to consider…
…I am picturing in my mind a target in archery, or perhaps a dart board. In the center is the bullseye. This is surrounded by circles that enlarge until I come to the edge of the target. The goal is to shoot my arrow, or throw my dart, and hit in the center of the bullseye. As Daddy was reminding me of this well known picture He impressed in my spirit that the bullseye is His love and goodness. Judgment is not even on the target. The only time that I would even need to consider what David, and other writers of scripture, have written about coming judgment is to miss the target completely. As long as I stay on the target I am inside the circle of my Daddy’s love and goodness. The closer I stay to the bullseye, the less that the possibility of judgment even matters.
Even better yet, I do not need to hit the target on my own. Daddy is holding my bow with me and is guiding each arrow that I shoot. He is throwing my darts with me and making sure they hit the target. He said to me that the only way that I will ever miss the mark is if I purposely reject Him, and intentionally refuse to accept His help. He will let me go it on my own if that is my choice, but He will never leave me, or withdraw His offer of assistance.
There must be an edge to the target, or there wouldn’t be anything said about judgment in scriptures. However, given that Daddy is without limit, it is very difficult for me to imagine this edge. On top of that, I don’t think that with what Jesus did for me in His work of redemption (death, burial, resurrection, and ascension) that it is even possible for me to miss the target. God is Love. God is Good.
It is not my Daddy’s will (design or desire) that anyone should perish (be destroyed), and it has never been His desire to judge anyone. Judgment that brings punitive consequences is always the very last choice of my Daddy. It is His will (desire and design) that everyone be saved (rescued, forgiven, redeemed, restored, reconciled, etc.) and no one be condemned.
I know that I cannot pick and choose which scripture I will accept. It is not my goal to cut out verses, and concepts, that I don’t like or want to deal with. I need to come to grips with what Daddy is trying to get to me through David. However, as I ponder the meaning of verses like the one before me I want to make sure I am hearing what Daddy is trying to say to me, not what anyone else (including myself) is saying. Therefore, before going any further I need to talk to Daddy some more.
Daddy, I am counting on You to reveal truth to me as I consider…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 257 Foundations for a Blessed Life (Psalm 1) Part 6 – Verse 5 continued