“Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever. For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice. The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip. The wicked watch for the righteous, and seek to kill them. The LORD will not abandon them to their power, or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial. Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked. I have seen the wicked oppressing, and towering like a cedar of Lebanon. Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found. Mark the blameless, and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the peaceable. But the transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” Psalm 37:27-40
Return again to the thought of a “broad place” we considered yesterday. Praise God the righteous shall inherit the land, live in it forever and their steps will not slip. God provides a place of refuge for those who walk in His way, a stronghold protected from the wicked. He provides it forever. That’s a “broad place”, it’s large enough for all the righteous and it is permanent (forever), it’s large in size and time! In verse 34 we are told, “Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked.” The way of the Lord is life lived with God, a life of holiness, there is no compromise. The boundaries of righteousness are defined by God. Within those boundaries we find the “broad place”, outside them we find the wicked, who will be destroyed. Don’t be fooled, there is one way to life with God, God defines it; I/you/we cannot redefine that way. We cannot redefine holiness. Attempting to do so, living as if we are able to re-write God’s way will cause us to leave the “broad place”, the refuge God provides. “But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.” Good news! God provides a “broad place”. Bad news! We cannot change the rules, the definitions of holiness. Good news! “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and rescues them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” Psalm 37:39-40