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Last time we looked at David’s request that he not be put to shame because he trusted in and called upon YHVH. Why would he then ask that the wicked be put to shame? Who are the wicked? Once we recognize them, how should we handle them? Could it be that some are beyond help?

Psalm 31:17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked<07563> be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. (Authorized Version)

Poole Commentary: Ver. 17.
Let the wicked be ashamed; frustrated in their wicked designs and carnal confidences. Seeing they are implacable in their malice and rage against innocent and good men …

The Wicked:
07563 rasha’; wicked, ungodly, criminal; (hostile to God); guilty of sin (against God or man)

Again, it is the Psalmist's fervent expectation that because he trusts in God, those who are attempting to destroy him must themselves be brought low in disgrace (Ps 6:10; Ps 109:28).

What is wickedness?
(International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

1. In the Old Testament:
The state of being wicked; a mental disregard for justice, righteousness, truth, honor, virtue; evil in thought and life; depravity; sinfulness; criminality. There are many synonyms - pride, vanity, iniquity, mischief, and calamity; carnality or lust, and perverseness.
Wickedness like all forms and thoughts of wrong, kept warm in mind seems to be a thing of growth; it begins with a thought, then a deed, then a character, and finally a destiny. Even in this life men increase in wickedness till they have lost all desire for that which is good … "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness" (Isa 5:20).

2. In the New Testament:
Wickedness, malignity, evil in thought and purpose … Jesus points out the origin of all wrong: "For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed .... wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness .... all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man" (Mr 7:21-23).
David Roberts Dungan

So how should we handle the wicked?
Both God and man saw acts of salvation as the best way to deal with the wicked person. {Isa 53:9} Moses; {Nu 16:26} a wise man; {Pr 4:14} Isaiah, and a prophet {Isa 55:7} exhorted people to forsake the wicked life and turn to him.

The wicked (those hostile to God or man) let shame upon them fall. Why? That they may consider their way and turn (submit) to YHVH; then He will not let them be put to shame.

Psalm 83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

Read about how John the Baptist handled those that came to him (Matthew 3:7-8 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance…)

What did Yeshua (Jesus) say to those with wicked intent?
Matthew 23:25-26 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
27-28 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Do we recognize the wicked and what wickedness really is? Are we too politically correct to call sin, sin? How else would the wicked see the error of their way and "…bear fruit in keeping with repentance…"?

The Implacable Wicked:
Know for sure there will be some that will refuse to change.
Jeremiah 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Oh YHVH, give us all a heart that will consistently seek You; help us turn from our own wicked ways. Let us not be ashamed for we put our trust in You. Yet "…let the wicked be ashamed…"

Blessed be the name of YHVH.

Many of the Proverbs are a contrast between the wicked and the righteous. We would be wise to use it as a check list for our own lives.

Some Proverbs mentioning the characteristics of the wicked:

Proverbs 6:12 … a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,
6:18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
12:5 … the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
12:10 … even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
12:26 … the way of the wicked leads them astray.
13:5 … a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully.
17:23 A wicked man receives a bribe … To pervert the ways of justice.
19:28 … And the mouth of the wicked spreads iniquity.
21:10 The soul of the wicked desires evil…
15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD…

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (AV)

"I don’t know any short cuts to doing a good job." Sandra Day O’Conner

When the heart of a man is evil (wicked) he is always looking for a way to short change others; be it employer, the government or his God. They are intent on bringing down the righteous; good is not a part of their vocabulary. YHVH is just and will reward us according to our actions, our walk (our works); therefore do a good job.

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward.

Lamentations 3:64 You will recompense them, O LORD, According to the work of their hands.

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

1. Who did Yeshua (Jesus) say were His mother and brothers?
2. Which book sets forth the Patriarchal Era from Abraham to Joseph, a family history of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
3. Hezekiah was king of what country?
4. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives what?
5. In Pharaoh’s dream did the fat cattle eat up the gaunt cattle?
6. Whom did Cain kill?
7. Who said, "Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live"?

In our pursuit of humility: (Lesson from humility in daily life.)

"It is a solemn thought that our love for God is measured by our everyday relationships with others. Except as its validity is proven in standing the test of daily life with our fellowmen, our love for God may be found to be a delusion. It is easy to think that we humble ourselves before God, but our humility toward others is the only sufficient proof that our humility before God is real." Andrew Murray

It is a solemn thought to know YHVH will judge us by our thoughts, intents and actions toward our fellowman. The second greatest command is to love our neighbor as ourselves.

In 1John 4:20 it says, "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. These are pretty strong words; being a liar is the trait of a wicked person.

Psalm 28:3 Do not drag me away with the wicked And with those who work iniquity, Who speak peace with their neighbors, While evil is in their hearts.

Andy Rooney

DID YOU KNOW?
As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the
Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door.

DID YOU KNOW?
As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court judges sit a display of the Ten Commandments!

DID YOU KNOW?
There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the Federal Buildings and
Monuments in Washington, D.C.

DID YOU KNOW?
James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our
Constitution" made the following statement:

"We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the
capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all
of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves
according to the Ten Commandments of God."

DID YOU KNOW?
Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation
was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on
the Gospel of Jesus Christ".

DID YOU KNOW?
Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose
salary has been paid by the taxpayer since 1777.

DID YOU KNOW?
Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the
established orthodox churches in the colonies.

DID YOU KNOW?
Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy; the rule of few over many.

DID YOU KNOW?
The very first Supreme Court Justice, John Jay, said: "Americans should select and prefer Christians as their rulers."

How, then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God. Therefore, it is very hard to understand why there is such a mess about having the Ten Commandments on display or "In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance. Why don't we just tell the other 14% to Sit Down and SHUT UP!!!

Biblical humor

LOT'S WIFE:
The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, 'My Mommy looked back once, while she was driving,' he announced triumphantly, 'and she turned into a telephone pole!'

GOOD SAMARITAN:
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan.
She asked the class, 'If you saw a person lying on the roadside, all wounded and bleeding, what would you do?'
A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence, 'I think I'd throw up.'

DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, 'Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark?'
'No,' replied Johnny. 'How could he, with just two worms.'

HIGHER POWER:
A Sunday school teacher said to her children, 'We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times.
But, there is a higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is?'
One child blurted out, 'Aces!'

MOSES AND THE RED SEA:
Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.
'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
When he got to the Red Sea, he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely.
Then, he radioed headquarters for reinforcements.
They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'
'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his mother asked.
'Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!'

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD:
A Sunday School teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible; Psalm 23.
She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter.
Little Rick was excited about the task but, he just couldn't remember the Psalm.
After much practice, he could barely get past the first line.
On the day that the kids were scheduled to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, Ricky was so nervous.
When it was his turn, he stepped up to the microphone and said proudly, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, and that's all I need to know.'

BEING THANKFUL
A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, 'So your mother says your prayers for you each night?
That's very commendable. What does she say?'
The little boy replied, 'Thank God he's in bed!'

UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER
During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews.
Tommy's mother was horrified.
She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, 'Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?'
Tommy answered, soberly, 'I asked God to teach me to whistle, and He just then did!'

TIME TO PRAY
A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night.
'Yes, sir,' the boy replied. 'And, do you always say them in the morning, too?' the pastor asked.
'No sir,' the boy replied. 'I ain't scared in the daytime.'

ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS?
When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past).
For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say, 'And all girls.'
As this soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this at the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, 'Kelli, Why do you always add the part about all girls?'
Her response, 'Because we always finish our prayers by saying 'All Men'!'

Fear is a useless emotion; its only benefit from the flesh’s point of view is to justify our inaction. (Michael Boldea Jr.)

A true realty bargain is when you get good neighbors.

Warning to dieters: What’s on the table soon becomes what’s on the chair.

True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful.

A pessimist is seldom disappointed.

We do not remember days we remember moments.

The one who has achieved success is the one who has worked well, laughed often and loved much.

Psalm 1 (Contrast between the righteous and the wicked)
1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.

Blessed be YHVH

1. Those who hear god’s word and put it into practice - Luke 8:21

2 Genesis

3. Judah - 2 Kings 18:14

4. Life - 2 Corinthians 3:6

5. No - Genesis 41:1-4

6. Abel - Genesis 4:8

7. Jonah - Jonah 4:3