It has been many years since I first preached from this Psalm. And it remains etched in my heart and mind. I remember the occasion and the place. I do not know if the sermon had much impact on others, but the time spent considering the Psalm itself did much for my own soul.

As you will see below, the first thing I did was produce my own paraphrase of the Psalm. Later, I did my best to reduce it to rhyme.

I pray the two combined today may be a blessing to your soul, as it was to mine in revisiting it. But do me a favor – re-read the Psalm for yourself first.

1. God IS good to His children.

2. But I almost blew it by a stupid error.

3. I was jealous, because it seems some guys can get away with anything.

4. They have no fear of future punishment.

5. They live a life of ease.

6. So they gloat! But all is not well.

7. They LOOK satisfied.

8 & 9. They talk a big game.

10. And sometimes we Christians are intimidated by that.

11. They try to sway us by what they say about God.

12. And they point to other wicked men in ease as examples to us.

13. So I started to think: “I serve God for nothing!”

14. I don’t have the easy life they have.

15. And if I cop their attitude and admit its true, other Christians would be offended.

16. The more I thought about it, the worse it got.

17. UNTIL, until – until I went to God about it. And He showed me the bottom line.

18. These guys are on really thin ice – and ARE going to fall through.

19. In a split second their world will cave in on them.

20. Like being terrifyingly startled awake from a pleasant dream – God will start to judge them.

21. It hurt to see what an idiot I’ve been.

22. How stupid! I’ve got the brain of gopher!

23. And yet Lord, you still hang on to me.

24. In fact, you’ll continue to teach me until Christ comes, or I die.

25. If my future is wrapped up in you, my present must be also.

26. Even when my body and my heart give out, you will preserve me forever.

27. But the wicked ones will be destroyed as surely as if it is already done.

28. So my life will be spent in drawing nearer to you, for I have learned to trust you completely. And in so doing, others will come to know you as I have.

Surely the Lord our God is good
Good to all his people
Good to the mighty and the strong
Good to the weak and feeble

But as for me, I almost fell
Unsure my steps near stumbled
My eyes were fixed on the arrogant
On the wicked never humbled

It seemed to me they feared not death
They dined, their hearts content
And free from lives of burdened care
Toward wickedness were bent

They wore their pride like jewelry
And violence like robes
Prosperous in iniquity
With every blessing clothed

Their sinful thoughts ran unrestrained
They mock and speak with scorn
And threaten any they oppose
Oppress, harass and warn

They speak against the heav’nly things
Tongues strutting o’er the earth
And justify among themselves
Their careless life of mirth

In wickedness they dare to ask
Can God know what we do?
Do any think he knows our ways?
He deigns our sins to view?

Considering this spectacle
My heart was led to doubt
Why had I walked in righteousness
And sought my sins to rout?

What sense was there in keeping pure?
Why turn from sin’s dark stains?
Why suffer godly discipline?
Why bother taking pains?

And yet I knew if thus I spoke
That others may be harmed
If by my doubts they strayed from God
And by deceits were charmed

My mind still reeling, ill at ease
Confused and not at rest
I went to seek the face of God
Would he my doubts address?

And there in prayer before his throne
At last my eyes did see
‘Tis not the present circumstance
That frames what’s yet to be

For these who walk without a care
Forgetting God is there
Are surely in a slippery place
How will they finally fare?

The day will come when all are judged
Both great and small will stand
To give an answer for their lives
Did they love God’s commands?

How suddenly they’re laid to waste
All who reject God’s rule
In judgment’s terrors swept away
At last be proved the fool

How then my heart was pained within
How senseless I had been
With no more reason than a beast
Deceived by my own sin

And then The Spirit reassured
God’s hand held fast in mine
His truth is truest counsel sure
One day, with him I’ll dine

Oh Lord, whom do I have but you?
In heaven or on earth?
It’s true my heart and flesh may fail
But you are all my worth

Those far from you will surely die
The wicked you’ll destroy
But you are my true refuge Lord
Proclaiming you - my joy!