Does Sin Sadden Us?

As I continue to meditate on chunks of Psalm 119, I was struck this morning by a subtle, yet important, theme: the existence of sin in the world not only angered this psalmist... it made him sad.

Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law. (v. 136)

My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words. (v. 139)

When we view our world, and we see the rampant spread of a lack of reverence for God, how do we react? Perhaps we get angry! "How dare we, who are created, treat our Creator this way!" we may shout... and rightly so! This anger is certainly a righteous indignation if it is rooted in the desire to see the LORD's name hallowed on this earth.

However, how often do we weep for the world when we realize how corrupt we are? How often can we echo the sentiments of the psalmist in reaction to the fallenness of creation, with "water running down from our eyes"? Does sin sadden us?

I believe that it is right to be angered by sin, but I also believe that it is right to be saddened by sin: The sin in the world. The sin in our country. The sin in our city. The sin in ourselves.

Ah! But we must not stop here! If you have the Spirit of God in your soul, and the sacred word of the Almighty on your lips, you have hope for yourself and for the world! Let your anger and anguish toward sin spur you on to proclaim your salvation from its reign! Use your godly sorrow for all that opposes God to tell those who are bound by their sin of the Cross, sin's ultimate defeat!

Let then sin madden you, sadden you, and provoke you to preach of its Conqueror!