February 11
Psalm 5 is known as a song of lament. David is in dire straits (much as he was in Psalm 4) and takes his problems (and his feelings) to God (vs. 1-3).
The cool thing is that God actually wants to hear what we are feeling. He is not so high and mighty that He can’t be troubled with our problems. In fact, He delights in our honesty. Truly, God desires “truth in the innermost being…” (Ps. 51:6) God already knows what we are feeling – and is pleased when we feel free enough to come to Him and pour out our feelings.
There is a principle here… we do not have to “put on airs” or stir up some “holy pretense” to come before God – we just come as we are, expressing what we feel, and then trust in His care for us. When we withhold what we are truly feeling we are NOT being truly honest with God (or with ourselves) – and that leaves us open to other self-deceptions or falsehoods. God delights even in our ugly honesty – it is the only place where our healing, and His comfort, can begin.
In verses 4-6 and 9, we have some very strong statements. David gives us a portrait of how God feels about wickedness and evil. We are told, quite clearly, that pride, dishonesty, deceit, and bloodthirstiness are things that God despises. David goes so far as to declare that God hates “all evildoers” that do such things.
We don’t like the term “hate.” We especially don’t like it when hate is associated with a God of love. If God loves people so much, why would he hate “all evildoers?”
We need to understand the root meaning of “hate,” when used in the Old Testament. The term means “to treat as an enemy.” It implies a disconnection of purpose and common bond. In short, it refers to all the qualities that are unlike God Himself – and is the focus of those who do not align themselves with God’s Heart and God’s ways.
To ignore God’s ways, and to choose your own ways instead, is to make yourself a god – and an enemy of the one true God. Those who make themselves the enemies of God, remove themselves from God’s favor and blessing – since they are choosing to be a god unto themselves. There can only be one God. Those who want to be their own gods become (by default) the enemies of God – and deserving of His wrath.
But here is the wonder of God’s love… even for His enemies! We were ALL sinners (Rom. 3:10-18) we were ALL deserving of wrath and destruction (John 3:36; Rom. 1:18; 2:5; Col. 3:6) – but God loved those who were His enemies so much that He sent His Own Son to suffer an enemy’s punishment. The Bible says…
This is another reason why Jesus is the ONLY way to God. Those who refuse to receive what Jesus has done for them are STILL the enemies of God – still deserving of His wrath and punishment… still under God’s condemnation (see John 3:17-18)
David closes his thoughts (in vs. 11-12) with the profound hope of all those who choose to honor God and take refuge in His care for them…
What David could only know in part, is something that all those who have received Jesus can know in full measure. God delights in those who have chosen to befriend His Son – and He eagerly desires to pour out His divine favor on all His friends.
TheHeartseeker's Blog 