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The Lord is far from the wicked; and yet how near to us! "He is not far from any one of us;" "He compasses us behind and before, and layeth his hand upon us." We may, indeed, insist upon -

I. GOD'S LOCAL AND EFFECTIVE NEARNESS TO THE WICKED AN AGGRAVATION OF THEIR GUILT. The fact that "in him they do live, and move, and have their being," that by his operative presence they are momently sustained in being, that by the working of his hand around and upon them they are supplied with all their comfort, and filled with all their joys, - this great fact makes more heinous the guilt of forgetfulness of God, of indifference to his will, of rebellion against his rule. But the truth of the text is -

II. GOD'S DISTANCE IN SYMPATHY AND IN SPIRIT FROM THE WICKED. God is far from the wicked in that:

1. He is utterly out of sympathy with them in all their thought and feeling, in their tastes and inclinations, in their likings and dislikings. He hates what they love; he is infinitely repelled from that which they are drawn to.

2. He regards them with a serious Divine displeasure. He is "angry with the wicked every day." His "soul finds no pleasure in them." He is grieved with them; in his holy add loving heart there is the pain of strong parental disapproval.

3. He is practically inaccessible to them. It is only he "that has clean hands and a pure heart" who is free to draw nigh unto God. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination" unto him (see homily on ver. 8). God cannot hear us if we "regard iniquity in our hearts;" we virtually withdraw ourselves from him, we place a terrible spiritual distance between our Creator and ourselves, when we take up an attitude of disloyalty toward him, or when we abandon ourselves to any evil course. Yet let it be always kept in mind, that:

4. To the penitent and believing he is always near; in whatever far country the wayward son is living, he may address himself immediately to his heavenly Father.

III. GOD'S SYMPATHETIC NEARNESS TO HIS CHILDREN. "He heareth the prayer of the righteous." Those who are earnestly desirous of serving God, of following Jesus Christ, may be assured:

1. Of his actual and observant nearness to them when they approach him in prayer.

2. Of his tender and loving interest in them (Mark 10:21).

3. Of his acceptance of themselves when they offer their hearts and lives to him and his service.

4. Of his purpose to answer their various requests in such ways and times as he knows to be best for them. - C.

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KJV: The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

WEB: Yahweh is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.