v13: Harsh (words): Strong words
· Yet you say: Again, the people don’t agree with what G-d is telling them.
v14: It is vain (futile) to serve G-d: The people are far away from the truth of G-d. This is what they’re teaching.
· Walked as mourners: To them, so far removed from the truth, serving G-d was a gloomy experience instead of a joyful one. They were in darkness and did not recognise the joy of the L-rd because they were consumed with the things of this world. Today, if we are emphasizing the worldly things rather than the Kingdom things, we are not going to see how profitable, how good, it is to esteem and place priority in our lives on the things of G-d.
v15: Call: Literally the word for certify, testify or document.
· Those who do wickedness: Wilfully rebel. They freely acknowledge their choice to defy G-d. In a cognitive way they disagree with G-d, and they purposefully pursue the things that are against the instructions of G-d. The people are calling these people happy and blessed.
· Tempt G-d: ie. Test G-d. This is a foolish thing to do. Testing G-d is an act of doubting G-d.
· Go free: They get away with it. All of this is falsehood. These individuals are walking in deception. They have been misled and are false in their approach to life.
v16: Then: This is a word that speaks about a change that’s coming in the future specifically.
· Spoke to one another: They are going to speak truth to one another.
· Meditate (Think) on His Name: They think according to the character of G-d. G-d is writing it down (Heb 6:10).
v17: They: Those people who agree with G-d.
· Jewels: Literally ‘Treasured possession’. The same word is used in Exodus 19:5
· Spare them: Be compassionate to them. G-d will show them mercy.
· Son who serves him: This is wisdom: to serve G-d.
v18: Discern: To see and to understand. When we submit to G-d, He is going to give us discernment whereby we can see things from a proper perspective. There is a great benefit, a great reward, when we agree with G-d, and we walk in the fear of the L-rd. We need to treasure the things that G-d treasures and apply His commandments to our lives. When we do this, we can expect G-d to move mightily to bless us and to work against our enemy.