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Psalm 21:8-13 Praise God for Hell

July 19, 2021 | by: Gregg Hunter | 1 comments

Posted in: Psalm 21

To many modern readers, Psalm 21 is a beautiful psalm about the rich blessings of Christ that is harshly interrupted at the end by some morbid thoughts about punishing God’s enemies. We might wonder why David spends more time talking about people being tormented by than he does marveling at the love and joy of God. And how can David possibly talk about these two topics in the same psalm!?!?

The modern reader may struggle with these thoughts, but the ancient reader did not. As Charles Spurgeon writes, “The destruction of the wicked is a subject of joy to the friends of righteousness.” This entire psalm has been an outcry of praise to God for His salvation, worked out through Jesus Christ. It is only natural for David to continue praising God for His greatness by pointing out that no one can stand against Him, and anyone who tries will be horribly punished. In fact, God is so great that anyone who even “plans evil against” God will be utterly destroyed.

We read the end of Psalm 21 with thoughts of pity for the people who are being destroyed. And we should rightly pity them, for they are people. But we cannot pity the enemies of Christ. Jesus is not limited in His power. All who stand against Him will ultimately be destroyed. He is incredible in His love, grace, and mercy in that He gives even the worst of sinners the opportunity to repent and turn to Him and be saved. But those who completely reject His grace will suffer His wrath.

With all of that in mind, please read Psalm 21:8-13.

 

These verses remind us of the utter foolishness of trying to rebel against God. No one can hide from Him. No one can run from Him. His wrath will be complete.

The language used to describe the punishment of the wicked is harsh. They will be burned with “fire” as if in a “blazing oven.” They will be “swallowed…up in his wrath,” which will completely “consume” and “destroy” them. They will be put to “flight,” and used as target practice for a God who never misses.

This sounds like torture. This sounds like torment. And that’s because it is.

We must never make light of the suffering that rebels will endure in hell. If we begin to think that hell isn’t all that bad, we will begin to think that sin isn’t all that bad. It is precisely because we have a light view of sin that we refuse to accept the depth of torment experienced in hell.

People today try to believe in universalism or annihilationism in order to do away with hell. But this is not what the Bible teaches. Hell is real, and hell is real bad. It may or may not have literal fire, but either way, God does not repeatedly use the imagery of fire to describe hell because it is filled with cotton candy and bunnies. It is a place of eternal torment. And all those who rebel against Christ until the end will experience that torment for themselves.

We must remember just how serious sin is! It is a rebellion against the God of the Universe! And I used to walk in it! What a wretched man am I! Thank God that He saved me from my sin!

I deserve to be punished, but Christ died in my place. I deserve eternal torment, but Christ has granted me eternal life. I deserve the wrath of God, but Christ took that wrath upon Himself and granted me all the blessings of His righteousness instead.

God is so good! Those who rebel against Him truly are deserving of eternal punishment. But God is patient and not willing that any should perish, so He has sent us to preach the message of good news in the hopes that all might come to Him through Christ, and be saved from His wrath.

For this too, let us join with David and praise God, saying, “Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.” Amen.

1 COMMENTS

Jenny Balzano

Feb 8, 2021

I grew up with a maternal Grandfather who was a preacher in WV. Many of my weekends would be spent traveling with him while he preached at various churches for Revivals. He was and old fashioned-hell fire and brimstone, foot stomping, fist thumping preacher. His sermons would keep your attention as he was gasping for breath and warning of hell of you did not accept Jesus as your savior. God is a loving, patient God who extends grace and mercy to his children but he is a vengeful judge who will pour out his judgement on those who continue to sin and ignore his calling. I thank God for my salvation and that he has forgiven me.

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