Lead Me, O Lord!

Introduction

These past few weeks we have been in several psalms of lament and tonight we are going to be in another one. This psalm seems to be paired with the last one as a morning hymn because of what it says in verse 3.

You know when we consider all of the dangers of life in this fallen world, this is a pretty dangerous place. I love nature documentaries and sometimes there will be one on the deep ocean and what life is like down there.

One of my favorite deep ocean creatures is the angler fish because it has this little light on it’s head. It isn’t there for the fish to use as a flashlight, because the fish is practically blind. It is there as a lure and it draws in other creatures and then eats them with its sharp, pointy teeth!

Usually they will have some peaceful music playing as they come across some creature like this and then the music will get really sharp and staccato as the creature eats or gets eaten.

It is a reminder of the dangers in this world. But, there are dangers for the Christian that are more than just getting eaten by something. The more sinister dangers are the dangers within our hearts and the dangers that lurk in the spiritual shadows.

I recently have been reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein because we picked up some of the classics at 5 Below and I want to get cultured. The book is really not so much about the monster that is created by the doctor as much as it is about the monstrous behavior of mankind.

All of these things lead us to the conclusion that we need a guide in this life. We need someone that has been where we’ve been and can navigate the perils this life throws at us.

David knew this as well and so this psalm is a song that teaches us to trust in God and ask Him to lead us.

Psalm 5 ESV

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David. 1 Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. 2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. 3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. 4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. 7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. 9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. 10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. 11 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. 12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Pray

1. Trust in God (v.1-3)

Cries out to God - a trust in the Lord

In the morning - a morning psalm to go with Psalm 4

Sacrifice - may refer to the morning sacrifice

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 5

I prepare a sacrifice for you is difficult in the Hebrew, which could also be rendered as in the ESV footnote, “I direct my prayer to you.”

The mention of the morning makes the rendering favor the sacrifice (ESV SB)

Watch - lift up my eyes to you (NKJV) - this is expectant faith

We have to learn to wait on God to act on our behalf

sighing -The Hebrew term used here, hagig, occurs only here and in Ps 39:3 in the OT. It signifies a desperate sigh or groaning, indicating the psalmist’s great turmoil. (Faithlife Study Bible)

2. Appeal to God's Justice (vv. 4-10)

What is the character of God towards the wicked?

Separation from God (v.4)

God’s presence is everywhere, even in Hell

God’s presence signifies his fellowship and delight (Adam and Eve were sent out from the presence of God in the Garden of Eden)

Hates wickedness (v.4-5)

Word means to scorn and decrease in stature

Could mean that God brings them low

Abhor (v.6)

Clarifies that God is angry toward the wicked and not just displeased

Can mean to desecrate - they have desecrated the holiness of God with their actions, so now God will desecrate them and destroy

Destroy (v.6) - perish

Revelation 21:8 ESV

8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Compare with Proverbs 6:16–19

Proverbs 6:16–19 ESV

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Forms of lying appear twice in the list of things God hates

A. Contrast Between the Wicked and Christ (v.4-7)

The Wicked Are:

Evil

Proud/Boastful

Liars/Deceitful

Bloodthirsty

David (Christ) is:

Humble

Submissive

Reverent

Righteous (at least Christ was)

We must recognize that apart from Christ, we are just like the wicked in this psalm. The only way we can come into God’s presence is through Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19–22 ESV

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

B. Commending the Wicked to God's Judgment (v.9-10)

David prays and imprecatory prayer

Imprecatory means a spoken curse

Focuses on their actions towards God and not towards himself (Faithlife Study Bible)

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 5

Prayers of this sort generally carry the unstated assumption that the evildoers will not repent and seek forgiveness.

They lie about God (v.9)

They speak evil

They use people for their own benefit

Absalom used the people and flattered them to get the throne

They are rebellious of God’s rule

Romans 3:13 ESV

13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”

Romans 3:18 ESV

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

The fact that this warning is sung in a public song is a deterrent to the wicked

Kind of like a sign that says there is a fine for littering or poaching

3. Request for God's Guidance (v.8)

Lead me

In your righteousness

Because of my enemies - they are watching to destroy and our walk is a testimony

To Guide my stepsT

Psalm 23:3 ESV

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4. Interceding for the Righteous (v.11-12)

A good king always acts on behalf of His people

Let them take refuge in God

Let them sing for joy

Let them delight in God

Let them be blessed

Cover them with favor as a shield

Conclusion

This psalm is ultimately about trust in God and a prayer for Him to guide.