Passage Read: Psalm 124-127
Meditation Verses: 125:3-5
Thought
The Lord knows how great a test it is for the righteous to be surrounded and even ruled by the wicked. That brings in such temptation to do evil, to turn from righteousness and do wrong. So the Lord allows it, to test the righteous, to see who will remain faithful and who will give in to wickedness. Those who continue to do good will receive good from the Lord, but those who turn to crooked ways will be cast out of the land of the righteous when God overthrows the wicked.
Application
There are many such warnings like this in Scripture. The righteous man must not trust in his righteousness and turn to do evil, thinking the righteousness he had stored up will be sufficient to save his life in the day of judgment. Especially through Ezekiel, God makes it abundantly clear that such a man's righteousness will be forgotten, he will die for the evil he has done. No matter how bad the example and power of the wicked becomes, the righteous man, the man who desires to be saved, must hold fast to righteousness, to doing what is good and right, even if the wicked outlaw it! It is no different for me, though I stand by imputed righteousness. If I trust in Jesus' righteousness given to me and turn to do wickedness, the righteousness I thought was assured will not be mine. I will be cast out of the assembly of the righteous in the day of judgment.