READ: Ps. 5:1–13: … For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness … But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You … For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous …
In this psalm we again read of the great contrast that was already addressed in Psalm 1. We read of those who live without God; they do not heed His Word and make life difficult for those who love God.
This does not refer specifically to outsiders. Israelites who do not live according to God’s Word are also ungodly. They commit injustice, lie, and practice violence. They are called evildoers and fools. In their speech there is nothing trustworthy; their inward part is destruction; their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue.
Thus David indicates how far ungodliness can take a person. He brings these people before the LORD in his morning prayer, for these people besiege David and make his life difficult (v.9). Is he not also the anointed of the LORD, to be delivered from these enemies?
In fact, are they not enemies of the LORD? They are ungodly and disobedient to the LORD. Are they not guilty before the LORD (v.11)? Is not God’s own name at stake here?
To bring his distress before the LORD, David makes an urgent appeal to Him: to hear his voice and to do justice to the guilty and to those who fear the LORD, so as to deliver David and the believers from these evildoers. Does the LORD not abhor such ungodly people (v.7)?
At the same time, David reminds the LORD that the faithful, the believers, all those who expect everything from the LORD and live by His Word, wish to know joy in the LORD, that they may rejoice forever in the LORD’s lovingkindness (vv.12–13). Will they not experience the blessing of the LORD?
Thus David pleads in his prayer for the covenant faithfulness of the LORD: His covenant vengeance upon those who break His covenant (v.11) and His covenant blessing upon those who by His grace keep His covenant (vv.8–9,13).
Do you see something of this contrast in your own surroundings?
Singing: Ps. 5:2,4