Psalm 5 – A Morning Prayer!

Psalm 4 was an evening prayer, and this one, Psalm 5 is referred to as a morning prayer.

David compared the righteous with the wicked. The wicked, and those who were David’s enemies could not stand in God’s Presence, whereas the only reason why David could come into God’s presence/God’s house, was because of God’s Merciful Kindness (Hesed) towards him.

Some people will be surprised to learn that there are certain people who God hates (See vv.5-6). They’ll say, “Doesn’t God love each and every person unconditionally?” or “God loves the sinner but hates the sin!” Well, we have heard much about God’s love and what God loves, but I wonder will we hear much about what God hates?

Of course if that was the case that God hates all sin and detests the wicked, there would be no hope for any of us. It has been said, “The Gospel is the story of how God saves us from Himself, and for Himself!”

And these verses in Psalm 5 didn’t only apply to David’s enemies. The apostle Paul quoted them in Rom.3:9-18, where he pointed out the universality of man’s sinfulness, and how that ‘God declares the whole world guilty before Him‘ (See Rom.3:19-20). The good news of course is that God can declare us NOT GUILTY, as He JUSTIFIES US BY FAITH! (Rom.5:1-2).

We have every reason to rejoice and ever shout for joy, and be joyful in the LORD in whose name we have come to trust.

Michael Robson