Hypocrisy

Psalm 78:34-37

When He killed them, they sought Him; they repented and sought God earnestly. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered Him with their mouths; they lied to Him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward Him; they were not faithful to His covenant.

Psalms 78 is a psalm we probably would like to avoid. Yesterday it was about God’s response to cravings of the old ways and today’s about hypocrisy. Most of us would like to think neither applies to us ‘good friends’ of God.

Hypocrisy is a problem ‘others’ have but certainly not us. We would never, well, probably never… 

How dedicated are we in the relationship we profess with the Lᴏʀᴅ? Are we honest in depth of devotion, commitment, wholeheartedness toward God?

In looking at the Israelites and especially the rabble making the Exodus, we see cycles of promising wholehearted agreement with God, covenanting, then in a matter of days, chasing after their own desires, ignoring what they had just promised. ‘When He killed them, they sought Him;’ ‘repent’ ‘seek earnestly’ ‘remembered their Rock and Redeemer’ but the cycles were shallow. ‘They flattered Him with words’ but ‘lied to Him with actions’ their hearts not committed nor their lives faithful to the covenant oft agreed upon.

This is the definition of hypocrisy—in early Greek theater a single actor playing two parts, using two distinct masks one for each character, flipping back and forth at a moment’s notice as the play flowed.

Psalm 78 warns of the shifting sands of un-commitment, the quagmire of life without foundations—opposites of life rooted in the covenant with God.

Let us not live as Psalm 78 disbelievers. The Lᴏʀᴅ desires true, real, meaningful, wholehearted relationship with you. In His Image.

Forever. Amen.

Psalm 78:34-37 (ESV) - https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/psa/78/34-37/s_556034
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