Psalm 40:13-17

13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who seek to destroy my life;
Let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
Who wish me evil.
15Let them be confounded because of their shame,
Who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

16Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
17But I am poor and needy;
Yet the Lord thinks upon me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
-Psalm 40:13-17

Here we are met with the great contrast between the consequence of the wicked and the righteous. The wicked are left to be ashamed. Imagine that every single thing that you do has absolutely no meaning. Every choice you make, everything you strive for, and everything you dream to see in this world serves no purpose. All that is left is shame. Their lives are left destitute.

Alternatively, the way of the righteous leaves us rejoicing. For the path of righteousness magnifies the Lord and has eternal significance. There is an investment that we are putting into eternity with what we do. Just as Jesus shared, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." If our heart is set upon eternity, our treasure is there as well. We are not storing for ourselves wrath, but rather reward. As we live our lives we can continually be in the place of rejoicing in the Lord and being glad in Him.