We have seen that in these psalms he justifies himself and mentions his righteousness frequently. He asks the Lord to hear him and remember him because of his righteousness. We need to ask whether David's righteousness as an offering to God is from the crop, as from Cain, or from the flock, as from Abel. David's prayer, thanksgiving, and praise in Psalms 1, 3—7, and 9—15 may be good, but they are of the knowledge of good and evil. There are two kinds of fruit of the same tree—good fruit and evil fruit. It is possible to pray to God, love God, praise God, and work for God according to the line of the knowledge of good and evil. Cain was a God-worshipper who offered something to God, but what he offered according to his way was not acceptable to God. David offered his righteousness to God, but we know that man's righteousness is as a soiled garment in the sight of God (Isa. 64:6).

In Psalms 2, 8, and 16, however, David was in the group of Abel in the line of life. We may say that at times David was a "Cain," a good Cain, a positive Cain, not an evil Cain. He was a Cain of good, not a Cain of evil. But sometimes, David was turned to another group, to the group of Abel. In this group he did not mention his righteousness or what he could do. He spoke of taking refuge in the Son (Psa. 2:12) and of God hiding him under the wings of God (Psa. 17:8). In Psalm 27 David was on the line of life, saying that he desired to dwell in the house of Jehovah to behold the loveliness of Jehovah (v. 4). In Psalm 36 David said that in God's house, there is the fatness, the river of God's pleasures, the fountain of life, and light (vv. 8-9). This is God as our enjoyment. Therefore, we can see that at times David was with the group of Cain in the line of the knowledge of good and evil, but at other times God turned him to be with the group of Abel in the line of life.

Now we need to ask, "To what group do we belong?" Do we belong to the group of Cain or the group of Abel? Are we companions of Cain or companions of Abel? At times we may be with Abel, and at other times we may leave Abel and join Cain. When we endeavor to do things in ourselves, by ourselves, with ourselves, and for ourselves, we are companions of Cain. We have to confess that today we are mostly "Cains" in the line of the knowledge of good and evil. Very rarely are we "Abels" in the line of life. We live mostly by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, not by the tree of life.

Now I would like us to consider whether Abraham was with Cain or with Abel. Actually, Abraham was sometimes with Cain and sometimes with Abel. God had promised Abraham a son, but Abraham and his wife Sarah became very old, and they had lost the human capacity to produce children. Sarah then urged Abraham to take her handmaid, Hagar, so that they could have a son (Gen. 16). Before taking Hagar to produce Ishmael, Abraham was with Abel. But when Abraham took Hagar, he became a companion of Cain, and that offended God. God did not appear to Abraham for thirteen years after Ishmael was born (Gen. 16:16—17:1).

Abraham was walking with God in the line of the tree of life, but he was under God's test. God promised him a son, but by the time he was very old, he still did not have a son. His wife was very concerned about this and gave Hagar to Abraham to produce a son named Ishmael. God's desire, however, was not with this son. Ishmael was born when Abraham was eighty-six years old (Gen. 16:16). Thirteen years later, when Abraham was ninety-nine, God appeared to him again (Gen. 17:1), and Isaac, the child of God's promise, was born when Abraham was one hundred years old (Gen. 21:5). Abraham returned again to the line of life. Ishmael was produced according to the line of the knowledge of good and evil. Isaac was produced according to the line of life.