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Keeping Bad Company

Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! (v. 4)

When I was in school, a group of older boys influenced me to leave with them during class time to go and drink alcohol. By the grace of God, I found nothing good in drinking alcohol; it tasted very bitter to me. But I continued to be friends with them. Keeping their company held me back from having the right relationship with God.

Psalm 141 is a lamentation from David to God. Verses 3-5 are prayers for personal righteousness. David prayed that God would protect him from the kind of evil that characterized his own enemy (the company of men who work iniquity). What makes temptation very powerful and dangerous is that often it seems that the way of life that ungodly people live is attractive. So David prayed about his mouth (v. 3). He also prayed about his heart and his appetites, that he would not want to join with men who are evildoers or be enticed by their delicacies (v. 4). Evil acts begin with evil desires in our hearts, and bad company can make this worse. As 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company ruins good morals.”

The kind of friends you keep affect your relationship with God for good, or for bad. Choose your company wisely.

As you pray, ask God to keep you from spending time with bad company.

Ronald Rutaremwa is Program Producer for Words of Hope Uganda.