For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.Psalm 5:5 NLT
Which one am I? Am I the enemy or the one, like the Psalmist in verse 7, who is confident that they may enter your house because of God’s abundant lovingkindness. I genuinely waver and fear the answer to this question, but in my heart and mind I am reminded of Jesus and I am also reminded that David, Solomon and Moses (among others) who wrote these Psalms were anything but righteous and they themselves were men of war, blood, sin and anger. And yet each of the authors of the psalms seems to have had confidence that God would accept them.
MAIN POINT: The God King v. 2 (Jesus) has revealed Himself, who He is and how He works so I can know how to take refuge in Him.
God hears everything. The result of what he hears is based on His character. The same God who hears and answers prayer is the God who hears and judges prideful people who reject God and His ways.
God is listening to those who are calling to Him on to hear
v. 1 “Give ear to my words, O Lord,” “Consider my groaning”
v. 2 “Heed the sound of my cry,” “For to you I pray”
v. 3 “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice”, “In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch”
The psalmist is confident that God is listening to him with abundant lovingkindness. So David tells us what God is like towards those who pray to him:
God is a God who takes pleasure in righteousness v.4
God welcomes the humble (The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes v.5)
God loves those who do righteousness. (You hate all who do iniquity. v.5)
God preserves who truth speakers (You destroy those who speak falsehood v. 6)
God delights in those who refrain from bloodshed and speak the truth. (v.6)
God welcomes the person who prays with lovingkindness into his presence. (v.7)
God will lead the person who asks in ways of righteousness. (v.8)
God will make the way straight for the person who relies on God. (v.8)
God will make the words of the righteous reliable (v.9)
God will not hold guilty the one who comes to him in obedience.(v.10)
God will make the righteous glad. (v.11)
God will shelter those who love him. (v.11)
God will bless the righteous man. (v.11)
God will surround with favour the righteous man. (v.12)
God is listening to those who are not calling on Him to hear
v. 5 “The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes”
v. 6 “You destroy those who speak falsehood,” “The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
v. 9 “There is nothing reliable in what they say,” “Their throat is an open grave,” “They flatter with their tongue.”
So if we understand who God is then we will want to humbly go His way. If we ignore God and go out own way against Him, He will stay true to His character. Thus verse 8 is a request to God to help David (the psalmist, the one who is a pray-er) to be righteous.
Lord God please lead me in your righteousness.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:8, 11-12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.5.8-12.ESV
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