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A characteristic mark of the ungodly man. Forgetfulness of God is the concealed spring from which the evil and bitter streams of outward wickedness derive their origin.

I. WHAT IS INTENDED BY HAVING GOD IN ALL OUR THOUGHTS. It is not meant that we should have our meditations constantly and invariably fixed upon God. Nor that the most pious and spiritual state of mind will disqualify a man for transacting the proper business of his station. We are here reminded of the necessity of an abiding and habitual impression of our obligations and accountableness to God. The text implies that we should take God as our portion, and expect our highest and best happiness from Him. Whatever it be from which a man expects his chief good, to that his thoughts naturally revert whenever he is not compelled to fix them upon some other object. It will be the favourite topic of his meditations.

II. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE WANT OF THIS PRINCIPLE. The man described here is one who lives in a state of habitual forgetfulness of God; acts without an abiding sense of his obligation and accountableness to Him; lives to please himself, rather than Him who made him. This state of mind is the very thing that leads to every act of gross outward sin. Conclusion:

1. Learn not to be satisfied with ourselves, because men approve of us. They cannot at all look at our motives.

2. If, in order to our being approved of God, it is necessary that we should have such a constant regard to Him, is it not clear that the retrospect of our lives will show us that we have been lamentably defective in His sight? Our subject may remind us of our exceeding sinfulness, and of our need of the mercy and grace of God as revealed in the Gospel of His Son.

(T. Scott, MA.)

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KJV: The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

WEB: The wicked, in the pride of his face, has no room in his thoughts for God.