This verse notes that our relationship to “the law” is key to our relationship with those around us. Of course, “the law” here is not the law of the United States or the law of the State of Maryland.
Instead it refers to the Law of God – His Word. It represents God’s message to us about our relationship with Him. This verse suggests that my attitude toward God’s Word will ultimately dictate my relationship with others.
If I do not pay attention to what God thinks and says, I will wind up on the side of “the wicked” – “praise” of those who do inappropriate things. Conversely, if I pay attention to what God says, I will not be comfortable with those who do wickedly and will, on some level, actively “resist” them.
Of course, the key to my own spiritual condition is not my friends. It is my commitment to God’s message and plan for my life. But a visible indication of that commitment can be detected in my daily interaction with others.
My mother used to say that my friends indicated what kind of person I was – the old “if you lay down with dogs, you will get up with fleas” wise saying. This verse reminds me that my relationships with others are also clear indications of my attitude toward God and what He says.