In this Psalm the writer Asaph speaks from both his perspective and from God’s perspective. God speaks of Israel turning away from Him. God said, “But my people did not listen to my voice and Israel did not obey Me. So, I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.”
God’s blessings for Israel were contingent on Israel obeying God. God’s blessings for us are also contingent on our obedience to Him. When we sin, God will forgive us if we repent of our sins. However, if we do not repent and turn from our sins; God will give us over to our own sins. He won’t continue to try and turn us from our sins.
When we give ourselves over to sin there will be terrible consequences. Just as Israel experienced terrible consequences for disobeying God and immersing themselves in sin, we too will have terrible consequences.
Those who are given over to sin are miserable both physically and mentally. Worse, they are spiritually dead. They are separated from God. The Bible says that if one physically dies in a state of separation from God, that person will spend eternity in hell. They will experience pain and agony forever.
