The protest of faith against sin.
"Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?" etc. This psalm is one of those which utter with burning fervour the protest of faith against unbelief, of righteousness against iniquity, of loyalty to God against rebellion. To understand these utterances, we must try to see sin as it is in itself, apart from the gracious light of forgiving mercy which the gospel sheds—as they saw it who had to live the life of faith when no cross had been set up, no sacrifice offered "for the sins of the whole world," no gospel of forgiveness preached to the nations. If the prevalence of sin, and its consequent misery, is so heavy a burden to pious hearts to-day, what must it have been then?
I. A TERRIBLE VIEW OF SIN: CONTEMPT OF GOD. Wilful transgressors despise God.
1. They are regardless of his Law. (1 John 3:4.) It is written on their conscience. The blessing of obedience and the curse of disobedience are inwoven in their very nature; for besides that some sins (drunkenness, gluttony, lust, and sloth) destroy even the body, the man himself is worse, mentally, in character, for every sin he commits.
2. They are careless of God's honour. Sin insults and dishonours God—a greater crime than all the injury it does to man.
3. They despise his call to repentance. (Isaiah 1:18; Acts 17:30.)
II. A QUESTION ASKED AND ANSWERED. "Wherefore," etc.? Because "he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it" (so Psalms 10:11). Men persuade themselves that, as they forget God, so he forgets them. That is all they desire. An ungodly man's notion of forgiveness is mere omission to punish; neglect of justice; indulgence, not because it is right not to punish, but merely because the thought of punishment is too dreadful and painful. "God," he says, "is too merciful to punish." He does not consider or understand that, as it is impossible for God to forget anything, so there would be no true mercy, but the reverse, in the neglect of justice. This is what is meant by "will by no means clear the guilty," even in the very proclamation of Divine mercy (Exodus 34:6, Exodus 34:7).
III. THE FATAL MISTAKE. God has seen, does remember, will require and judge. To build hope for eternity on the supposed negligence and injustice of God, is to try to cross an abyss on a cloud. If God forgives sinners, he must do it justly, on good grounds (Romans 1:17, Romans 1:18; Romans 2:6-9; Romans 3:23-26). The gospel is the glorious revelation of God's pardoning love and grace, not thrust at random on those who continue to despise him, but freely given to each, even the worst, who seeks to "be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20), and lays hold on his promises in Christ (Hebrews 2:3; Hebrews 10:28, Hebrews 10:29).
HOMILIES BY C. CLEMANCE