Psalm 36:2-4 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.
3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good.
4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.
I have often heard these days a reference to someone or other being a Narcissist. There have always been people who were Narcissists, but it has somehow become part of the vocabulary of every person who has to put up with a selfish person. And it can be very difficult to live with someone who is selfish.
Selfishness is the opposite of the attitude and behavior of someone who claims to be a Jesus Follower. Selfishness is about making everything revolve around the self. You become the center of your world, and you expect others to fall into orbit around you.
But this creates a very small universe! If you are the brightest object in your universe, I pity those who have to live in your light!
Our text for today comes from Psalm 36 and describes a selfish, self-centered person to a tee. Let’s take a look together. I might spark some parallels in our own lives, some changes we need to make, things for which we need to repent.
The first thing selfish people do is flatter themselves. I find this so funny. If they are so great, as they claim to be, then why aren’t other people proclaiming their greatness? Why do they have to say it themselves? But since other people see them more clearly than they see themselves, they are the only ones who see their virtue.
Instead, these selfish people don’t see their blindspots. Think: emperor’s new clothes! Their self-absorption prevents them from seeing their own failings and keeps them locked in destructive cycles.
Then they say what is at the heart of who they really are. Instead of reigning in their tongue, they spew their deception and sin. What is inside comes out of their mouths. They come to be known for their unabashed wickedness and their lying. They can’t own these sins because they are too self-absorbed.
They also do evil. They aren’t just windbags filled with unrighteous thoughts and words, they put their words into action. They do the very things they condemn in others. They don’t take the opportunities that present themselves to do good. Because they are the center of their own universe, they think their judgments on what is good is what matters.
Not only do they say and do evil, they also plot evil when they should be resting. Evil thoughts and plans become the norm and end up consuming much of their being. They might even join in with others in this plotting of evil. There is no shortage of evil people in the world, despite what some believe.
But these people do more than sad, do and plot evil. They put their signature on the dotted line. They commit themselves to their plotted course of action. Since they have only themselves to judge the rightness or wrongness of the action, they go from bad to worse.
But there is an alternative to self-absorbed selfishness. The psalmist begins the next verse in the psalm with the alternative. We can live a life with the LORD as our referent. Everything we say, do, plot and commit to can be seen in light of who the LORD is. He becomes the One by whom all our words, actions, plots and commitments are compared. The LORD’s love reaches to the heavens, His faithfulness reaches to the skies.
If we begin to compare ourselves with Him, then humility results. Our words and actions and pondering and commitments all get corralled by the words and actions of the LORD. He becomes the standard. Then our plots and commitments become colored by His will.
The Arnold Journey 