God Promises His Reward for the Godly

Psalm 4:2-4 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? 3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him. 4 In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
 
RECALL in the previous lesson Psalm 3 recorded David’s confidence God would protect him against Absalom and others who pursued him.
   Here, David warns his enemies the LORD has set him apart to be a godly man. This means God has anointed him to be a God-seeking, benevolent man. His purpose is to do God’s will. He is the object of God’s constant love. God has marked David as his own and put him aside from the world to be his own. The LORD will let no one touch David.
   As a result, David knows that when he prays the LORD will hear and answer his prayers. God’s glory – his power and protection – is available for David to defeat his enemies.
   David, then, is telling Absalom and the others God’s judgment threatens their lives. He urges them to stop. Their rebellion against him is rebelling against God. He advises them to be very careful in their actions. They would be wise to lie down at night, be silent and consider the appropriate thing to do. This is good advice for all of us.
   Absalom and his army should have listened to David. They should have gone home to live in peace. But instead they pursued God’s anointed, and they died.
   We who confesses Jesus Christ can quote David to confidently warn those who oppose us. We know God has set us apart into his glory to be godly people. He teaches us the many traits of being a people set apart for his purpose. No enemy can remove God’s glory from us.
   Yes, it is true the enemy may triumph over our physical lives. But he will never destroy our eternal lives. Rest in this amazing promise: Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
   Jesus proved this through his death, resurrection and ascension. The Spirit confirms this through his anointing of God’s glory upon our eternal souls. God promises to reward the godly and destroy his enemies. When you are faithful to his Truth, you will know his reward of a life resurrected into his glory. This is your joy now and forever.