Choosing God’s kingdom over the pull of sin

The last three verses of Psalm 36 reveal our conundrum. We are caught between our sinful human nature (verses 1-4) and divine grace (verses 5-9). Wickedness is set against us, yet God is for us. Who will prevail? Verses 10-11 are worded as a condensed prayer (paraphrased here) - “Continue with me and let not these evil ways come against me.”

We offer a similar plea in the Lord’s Prayer - “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” But what really gives strength to this plea is what follows - “For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory.” When we recognize, like this psalmist, who God is and what He offers us - His kingdom, His power, and His glory - can we be satisfied with anything else?