For the scepter of wickedness will not rest upon the allotment of the righteous, that the righteous would not put forth their hands to iniquity.
— Psalm 125:3
After showing us such a marvelous Christ in the church life the psalmist comes back to us. In the church life everything is wonderful, yet there is also something called “the scepter of wickedness.” Other translations say “the rod of the wicked.” Christ is marvelous, but people are wicked.
We should apply this not only to people outside of the Lord’s testimony, but also to ourselves. Even we ourselves can be “the wicked.” For example, in the midst of such a joyful church life we often beat our fellow saints. We can treat the saints so unfairly. This is to wield “the scepter of wickedness.” We all admit that we have shortcomings and limitations. We cause many problems in the church life, and to a certain degree we even damage the Lord’s testimony. Sometimes when we are with certain saints we wield the scepter of wickedness. We don’t even realize it, but it just happens.
But although we have the scepter of wickedness we also have “the allotment of the righteous.” In the church life the scepter may appear and even cause damage, but it doesn’t remain. It “will not rest upon the allotment of the righteous.” Hence, we should be comforted. The wickedness comes and goes, but the righteousness abides forever. The scepter is only temporary, but our allotment never changes.
Adapted from The Journey of Life, pages 52-53.
Tomorrow: “The Prayer of a Consecrated Person”