Guidance for God’s People

Psalm 5. Continuing on in our summer series in the Psalms. Hear the word of Our Lord. to the chief musician, with flutes, a Psalm of David Give ear to my words. Oh Lord. Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry. My king and my God for to you, I will pray my voice. You shall hear in the morning. O Lord in the morning, I will direct it to you and I will look up for you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, New Rochelle evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in your sight, you hate all workers of iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood the Lord of whores, the bloodthirsty and deceitful, man. But as for me, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy. In fear of you, I will worship toward your Holy Temple. Lead Me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face. For there is no faithfulness in their mouths, their inward part is destruction, their throat is an open Tomb. They flatter with their tongue pronounced him guilty or God. Let them fall By Their Own counsels, cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions for they have rebelled against you Let all those who believe that all those Rejoice who put their trust in you. Let them ever shout for Joy because you defend them and let those also who love your name be joyful in you for you. Oh Lord will bless the righteous with favor. You will surround him as with a shield. So when's the reading of God's word, may he bless it to our hearts? Today.

last week we took up some for And we observe that that Psalm is sometimes referred to as a lullaby because of its soothing character, and, and also the way in which it speaks of at the end, being able to lie down in peace and sleep. And so we might also call some for an evening Psalm or a night time song and Then followed up following up on that. We get to some five which we could I think fairly call a morning song. And so children before before we dive, then I have an assignment for you. I have something I would like you to do. I want you to draw a picture because Don't love trolling. I already know that. I see lots of the messages. Draw a picture. Love you. Praying. In the morning. Like right after you you wake up or right after you get out of your bed, draw a picture of prey. In the morning. Noah's we

and show them to me afterwards. I want to see your pictures. In case I wasn't clear, I want to see them. Not as we take up this song.

We're going to divide it into three parts. because, As a good Presbyterian with Southern Baptist Roots, it just seems like sermon should have three points. And so we'll do three parts for three points. And the first is the object of our prayer. And we see this in verses one through three noticed, that the psalmist says he cries out to the Lord and he says, give ear to my words. Oh, Lord. Consider my meditation. Heed, My Cry, my king, and my God for, I pray to you.

In verse three, further emphasizes the fact that he's praying to the Lord. He sang My Voice you shall hear in the morning. In the morning I will direct it to you and I will look up. But I want you to pay particular attention. Not just to the fact that that the psalm is David here. Direct his prayers to God, but I want you to note how he addresses God in doing so, He uses three particular words to names and a title. First inverse one. He calls out to God and he calls him. My Lord. He says, give ear to my words. Oh Lord. And you'll notice that in your Bibles. This should be an all capitals Lord and all capitals the translators do this for a particular reason. They are following the tradition of of the Jewish tradition, where since Hebrew doesn't originally have valid points, they would Supply the vowel points for the word Adonai, which means Lord. And so when the the Jews would read it, they would read the word yokwe, or Jehovah as Lord. And we carry on that tradition though, not for the same reasons. And so in our tax anytime Jehovah or Yahweh is used it's typically translated as Lord in all capital letters, now that it's important and that word is important because yokwe Jehovah Lord in all capitals, however, we look at it or say it or, or Interact with this, this word, identifies, God not just as God in a general and vague sense. But particularly as the Covenant keeping and Covenants making God it's so in calling out to the Lord and and addressing him in this way. David begins his Prayer by acknowledging that one. He has a right to go to God because he's in Covenant with him. And at the same time, he has the right to expect that God will hear his prayer also because he is in Covenant with him. And we see this in that use of the title Lord. now, as we get into verse 2, David changes it up a little bit and he addresses the Lord in two more ways, first by crying out and calling him my king. Now, when Israel will prior to Israel getting a king, the account that we have in the Book of Judges, is that everyone did what was right in their own eyes because there was no king in Israel. And then as we get to 1st Samuel and a Samuel enters, his prophetic Ministry and Israel comes to the prophet and they say to him give us a king. They don't just say, give us a king, they say give us a king like everyone else. We want a king like they all have Kings and so they got a king like the nation in the person of soul and Samuel was very distraught at this and the Lord comforted him by saying they haven't rejected you. They rejected me as king. And so what we need to understand is that the Lord Is not just a covenant, making in Covenant, keeping God. But for those of us who are part of that Covenant Community, the Lord is also our King. And he is King over Kings.

This is why David both before he is Anointed as king and also afterwards, he regularly addresses and calls God, his King and his Lord because he understood even after the Lord placed him in that position as head of the nation under himself under God, that David was still a servant of the most high.

No, it's significant. Also that David uses this because what do we expect our leaders to do? What do we expect our Kings or political leaders to do for us while we expect them to look out for us, right? We expect them to keep an eye out on those, who would be our enemies, and then to lead us in battle or to defend us. when Trouble Comes, And Soul by David addressing the Lord as my king. He's adding to the rationale as to why he should be heard and he's essentially saying Lord, you should hear my prayer and you should answer, and I'm going to call out to you. Because not only are you, are you? My covenants, gone. But you're also my king, which means it's your responsibility to look after me as one of your subjects. And it's your responsibility to Hear My Cries as one of your subjects.

David understands. That really the only one who can who can answer his prayers. The only one that gives him the confidence that his prayers will be hurt or the ones that the one God who already stands in that sort of relationship with him, both, mentally, and as a citizen of God's Kingdom,

You'll notice also. in that same line, the David addresses God, as my God,

and in doing this he is admitting and confessing not only that God is the covenants making and Covenant keeping the Lord that God is the king over all but but that God is the Creator and that David is not Now, this is significant. because in making this confession, David is not only saying that he has a right to be heard. because of his Covenant oil and and

citizen sort of relationship with God. But he also is acknowledging that as Creator. God has the power to answer his prayer so it's not just, it's not just, he's praying to some entity. Who really can't do anything for him who can't answer his prayers. And so then the exercise of prayer becomes merely, an instance of, of making myself feel better cuz I can get this off. My chest, David is saying and acknowledging that God is gone, he is making a confession, but he's praying to God because this God is actually able to do something about his circumstances and this is why it is important for us. For all of us to have a robust, in a deep understanding of who God is, that doesn't mean that we all need to pursue academic degrees or that. We all need to build a massive theological library. But if it does mean that I actually read the word as we dive into scriptures, as we study that, we need to be focused upon 1 and thinking about what these various titles for God, tell us about who he is and about how he works.

Christianity, the Walk of faith. Is a mental exercise. It requires us to think it requires us to engage Beyond just a surface level.

The one way that we see this is how we think about God. One Theologian once said, that, whatever it is, that comes to mind first. When you hear the word god, that is your god or that is your understanding of God. That's so it's important. Then that we have a studied, in a Biblical understanding of who God is. And one way that we can do this is by making note anytime that scripture addresses God, or that God tells us something explicitly about himself.

In the text. No. Going from here. We get to our next point. In Verses 4 through 8 and that is the psalmist reason for prayer. First we saw First, we saw his, the object, of his prayer being the Lord, and how the various titles and names for the Lord inform us on David's theology, or his understanding of who God is, but now we get to why David is praying. His reason for prayer and there's a two-fold reason first having to do with, who God is notice in Verses 4 through 6, the David highlights Negatively who God is meaning. God is described as one. Who does not take pleasure in wickedness and God is one in whose presence evil will not dwell. And the boastful will not stand in his sight and that God is one, who hates all workers of iniquity. And he destroys those who speaks falsehood. He abhors the bloodthirsty and the deceitful men To put it another way. God is righteous. God is just God, hates wickedness. And so, David Goes to God. He lifts up his prayer to him on the grounds that God is Not unjust. He's not unrighteous, he's not Wicked.

David prays to God on the basis. Of God's character and an understanding of that character.

But it's not just an understanding of what God is Not.

for, as we see in verse 7, he adds to what God is by saying that he will come into his house in the multitude of his Mercy. So he understands then that God is a god of mercy and he understands that just because one sins does not necessarily mean that there is no possibility of redemption there's no possibility of being in right standing with God, the trick is not really a trick.

But the the slight little catches that we can't learn that we can acquire a right standing with God but we can't earn a right standing with God. And the way in which we acquire a right standing with God. Comes by confessing who we are. As sinful people, confessing our sin to God and asking for God, to forgive us, to extend Mercy to us. And for us to rely upon the means that God has chosen for that Redemption to be accomplished. In David's day. It was looking forward to win. The promised Messiah would actually come and recognizing that as they took the Lambs in the Bulls and the goats and they offered them as sacrifices, but it was really pointing forward to the work of the Messiah. That all of the, all of the sacrificial system was intended to remind us of our sinfulness of how great that sinfulness is, and how heinous it is in the Lord's sight. Such that in order for us to be rid of that, sinfulness death, has to occur,

And well if we're dead. You're dead, right?

We can't atone for our sins ourselves.

That was the entire points of also, of the fact that they would have an animal take that. And they would put their hands on the animal's head before slaughtering it, it was to remind them that their sin needed. Not only to be atoned for, but that it needed to be transferred to someone else for that atonement to take place. All pointing us to the reality. That this promised Messiah promised way back to Adam and Eve. In Genesis chapter 3, this promised Messiah, the Lord himself would come and in His abundant Mercy would receive the punishment. That we deserve for our sins.

Which of the psalmist confesses. and points to the fact that God is Not Wicked, he takes no pleasure in wickedness. And also the fact that God is merciful as his reason for praying, but then there's another reason, there's another reason that he is praying to God. And there's a reason that he's praying, particularly To this guy and it's important that we catch this how their, how, they're all intertwined. Look, look at Verse 8. David has already confessed that he will worship. He will come into the Lord's House. He will worship. Toward his holy Temple and then notice this petition situated in the middle of the psalm. He says Lead Me O Lord in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face. So then, the reason that David Goes to God, the reason that he goes to the Lord in prayer is because what he wants, what he desires from God is precisely. In line with who God is David, Ash is wanting to flee from the wickedness and the influence of his enemies. And so, David Goes to the God who does not take pleasure in wickedness, he goes to the God who does not dwell with evil nor evil with him. He goes to the God where the boastful cannot stand. He goes to The God Who hates iniquity because what David desires is righteousness David desire to flee from his own iniquity in the iniquity of those around him and he desires the straight path. He desires the straight way and the only way to get on that straight path into travel that straight way is to go to the Lord. if you caught in our Isaiah reading,

NRA, Isaiah reading. We are told that the way of the just in verse 7, The Way of the just is uprightness and then how does Isaiah refer to gone o? Most upright

You see the way of righteousness. The way of uprightness is the Lord's way. And so, if we want to go down the Lord's way, then we need to go to the Lord. We need to be seeking out the Lord because there will be no traveling down his pathway. Apart from love for him.

So, David cries out to the Lord? And his reason for crying out is that the Lord hates wickedness, he hates iniquity and iniquity is not found with him and David desires the right path of the righteous path. The straight path.

but I want you to also notice His petition.

And again, it's a it's a two-fold petition. Scene in verses, 9 and 10. David. Cries out to the Lord to lead him in the Lord's path to lead him in his righteousness.

It is rationale for that is there is no faithfulness in their mouth. The mouths of his enemies.

But he doesn't just highlight the fact that there's no righteousness. In them, he doesn't just acknowledge. That's the way of the unrighteous leads to death. David goes on to cry out for the Lord to execute judgment upon the wicked. He says pronounce them guilty. Oh God.

David desires that Justice would be done in the land and part of Justice being done is for guilty people to be declared guilty.

And then he's asking not only that, they would be declared guilty. But he's asking that all of their plans, all of their councils, all of the wicked schemes whereby they wish to extend and further their wickedness, he's asking that God would would undermine all of their efforts. Pronounce them guilty and calls their plans to come to know. A fact.

And then he's asking as well.

That they would be judged not just pronounced guilty. But that they would be sentenced.

Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions. David is praying to the Lord and He is asking that the Lord would judge the wicked and that he would judge them according to their wickedness. And here's an area where we may very well need to be corrected because sometimes when we pray to the Lord, and we ask that the Lord would deal with the wickedness of those around us. What we have in mind is not the fact that they are in Rebellion to God's law.

You see far too often. we Embrace this idea that if you disagree with me, Because you disagree with me, you're worthy of God's judgment, but that's not what the psalmist is praying for. He's not praying. These are praying that his enemies and he calls them his enemies in verse 8. He's not he's not praying for their destruction and for their demise because they oppose David, Or because they were rebelling against David. David's sole focus is on the fact that they are rebelling against God. And so in a certain sense, it seems that David's in David's mind, what is the most important? Is the fact that they are rebelling not against David. But that they are rebelling against God.

And it's for this reason.

One that he wants no part in their unfaithfulness. That's why he doesn't want to follow in their paws because their path is a path of rebellion against the most high. But it's also why he wants them for announced guilty. He wants them pronounced guilty. Not because they have shamed him or embarrassed him or done something that has King. He doesn't like he wants them pronounce guilty because they are in active Rebellion against the Lord of hosts himself. And that is what David desires.

But then he turns around and his focus is not just on his petition is not just for the destruction of the guilty and of the wicked. But he also prays for the building up of God's people.

Let all those rejoice. Who put their trust in you? In a notice here, in these last two verses.

Really not even in the last two. Just look at verse 11, Justin this verse. So we say that if if an author is repeating an idea or a theme then that's important to him, right? So notice what he says, let them rejoice who put their trust in you, let them shout for joy. Because you defend them and let those who love your name. Be joyful in you.

David not only desires the building up of the people of God. He desires. The people of God to grow in joyfulness to grow, not just in some, in some vague sense of a love for God, but to grow in their Joy. For all the God has done to grow in their Joy.

from trusting in the Lord to grow in their Joy because they don't need to defend themselves, the Lord will defend them and will act surround them with his favor as a shield, as, as the psalmist concludes

But he also wants to see the people of God. Find joy and be filled with joy, simply in knowing who God is.

And that is his. Really the greatest petition that he has. David wants to be let in the way of the Lord. But it's not just that he wants to be in the way of the Lord. He wants all of God's people to join him in the way of the Lord, and he wants this joining him down this path.

To result in.

Joy.

In who God is.

And then the song was conclude saying for you. Oh, Lord will bless the righteous.

With favor, you will surround him as with a shield. Why is it that the Lord blesses the righteous? Have you have you given much thought to that? Why?

Why does the Lord bless the righteous and condemn the wicked?

Well, for a simple answer. Turn the Page over. To someone.

In verse 6, for the Lord knows the way of the righteous. But the way of the ungodly Shall Perish. or as Isaiah said,

that's the way of the just is uprightness and the Lord is the most upright.

The Lord blesses the righteous because the righteous walk in his way. The righteous walk. In the way of the Lord, which includes not just a manner of living, but it also includes how we go about that. So it's not just keeping the Lord's commands, but it's keeping the Lord's commands, according to the spirit of the command. For a good illustration of of this. Think about, think about Jesus in his three years of Earthly Ministry. And what's the one thing that the Pharisees continue to accuse him of? One of those being that he's breaking the Sabbath. Because he does good on the Sabbath. He heals, his disciples are walking through a field and they pick a little grain and they eat the grain. And the Pharisees are like you are breaking the Sabbath. Your disciples are breaking the Sabbath.

But they say that because they have failed to a comprehensive, the intent of the fourth Commandment, they have failed to see that the Sabbath was instituted and commanded not so that we would have this this legalistic day of of setting apart and not working. The Sabbath was instituted for our spiritual good and even in the law of God, it specifies. They like if your animal Falls in a ditch on the Sabbath to get it out. So doing good was never intended to be prohibited on the Sabbath, and the Lord would condemn the Pharisees. He would condemn them saying that's that in all of their law. Keeping they neglect, the weightier matters of the law, Such as mercy and justice.

So,

what are we to do with all of this?

I think the first thing is we are reminded That's when we pray. We are to address God in particular ways and thoughtful ways. We are to address God, according to who he is. And according to our covenant relationship to him.

We are also reminded. that's,

It is good to pray for ourselves.

Especially when what we are Desiring. Is growth in the faith.

and then, finally, That it is good to pray against. Wickedness. But we need to be careful that in our praying against wickedness. And we're not praying against people who disagree with us, merely because they disagree with us. We need to be praying against the Rebellion to God. Not against their disagreement with us.

So we see in all of this. The headings in our, if you have headings for the, Psalms likely says something along, along the lines of a prayer for guidance.

And it reminds us This song reminds us. That we pray to the Lord. As Christians because we desire the Lord's way. And it is the Lord who provides that way. Butter spray.

Our Father in heaven. We thank you again for this reminder.

For this reminder that it is good to pray to you. Not not only, is it good? but there's comfort in doing so, because Being in a covenant Soul relationship with you. We have that assurance that you will hear our prayers. Father, we ask that you would make us a people of Prayer. That we would enjoy spending time on our knees. With you.

And father, we ask that you would help us to be thoughtful in our prayers to address you according to our covenant relationship with you. To ask for things that are pleasing in your sight. And to pray against the wicked, and the wickedness in the world, on the grounds that it is rebellion to you. Help us. Oh, Father. and father, we ask that you would Through the working of your Holy Spirit in our hearts, that you would continue conforming us to be like Christ, that our minds would be transformed. Through the renewing of our minds. As we spend time with you, in prayer, and in your word, and in Godly fellowship with one, another grow us, and our love for you. And then our devotion to your waist. Amen.