Their Sorrows Shall Be Multiplied

Their sorrows shall be multiplied [that] hasten [after] another [god]: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. -- Psalms 16:4

Sorrows were multiplied for the children of Israel during the time of Judges:

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: ...And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. -- Judges 2:11,14

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. -- Judges 3:7,8

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. -- Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host [was] Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. -- Judges 4:1,2

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. -- Judges 6:1

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. -- Judges 10:6,7

In ancient times, "gods" were idols -- physical trinkets in various shapes.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. -- Romans 1:22,23

Today, our "gods" are more subtle, but no less godlike in our lives. They may take the form of wealth or material things. They may be an ideal, cause or political party. They may be a religious doctrine or dogma. They may be another person. They are not literal idols, but they are still "before" Him (Exodus 20:3), taking precedence and taking the place of God.

And what is the result of this? Are our sorrows not multiplied? People everywhere, including Christians, struggle with the presence of evil in the world. They cannot account for the trouble and pain they see because they fail to recognize the source of sin as ourselves.

For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. -- Romans 6:23

Where is sorrow? Look for "another god" there. Where is misery? Look for "another god" there as well. Where is pain and suffering? Look for "another god". Put away your "gods":

That you would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory. -- 1 Thessalonians 2:12