To Sing and Rejoice

For Monday, February 18, 2009
Proverbs 29:6

An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
but a righteous man sings and rejoices.

The wicked create their own trouble. Because they deceive, steal, and commit violence, they expose themselves to the same troubles. They create enemies. Even the traps they lay for others, often end up being their undoing.

But the righteous are often free of what plagues the wicked. They typically do not make enemies. There may be enemies, but such foes exist because of their own wickedness, not because the righteous had done them wrong. The righteous has friends and the just arm of the law on their side, providing further protection. They do not worry about what the law will do to them.

Their greater reason for being able to sing and rejoice without fear is the peace of their conscience. They do not wake up in the morning worried about the repercussions of their actions from the night before. They do not worry about what friend has turned into an enemy. Indeed, their sing and rejoicing is done in the presence of their many friends.

The greatest reason for the singing and rejoicing is the status they have before God. For righteousness is not ultimately about keeping all the rules, but of walking with one's Lord, and to know him, to walk under his blessing is to be blessed indeed. Do you have a song to sing today?