Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
The verse pictures a man standing in selfish independence, trusting in himself rather than making God his strength. He will not stand under the rule of Christ, but places himself on Satan's side in anarchy and war and strife. His tongue deliberately plans harm, cutting like a sharpened razor and working with deceit, because he loves evil more than good, loves lying more than speaking what is right, and loves words that devour others.
He is set against the other man in the psalm, who chooses God as his guide, trusts in God's mercy forever and ever, flourishes like a thriving green olive tree in God's house, and praises God while waiting on His name. At the last great day the selfish man will see how many souls were lost through his failure. God will destroy him forever, take him away, pluck him out of his dwelling place, and root him out of the land of the living. The righteous will look on with reverent fear and laugh at him, because he trusted in the abundance of his riches and made himself strong in wickedness.
The verse pictures a man standing in selfish independence, trusting in himself rather than making God his strength. He will not stand under the rule of Christ, but places himself on Satan's side in anarchy and war and strife. His tongue deliberately plans harm, cutting like a sharpened razor and working with deceit, because he loves evil more than good, loves lying more than speaking what is right, and loves words that devour others.
He is set against the other man in the psalm, who chooses God as his guide, trusts in God's mercy forever and ever, flourishes like a thriving green olive tree in God's house, and praises God while waiting on His name. At the last great day the selfish man will see how many souls were lost through his failure. God will destroy him forever, take him away, pluck him out of his dwelling place, and root him out of the land of the living. The righteous will look on with reverent fear and laugh at him, because he trusted in the abundance of his riches and made himself strong in wickedness.