Psalm 5 (New International Version, ©2010)
For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
1 Listen to my words, LORD,
consider my lament.
2 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.
5 The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
6 you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, LORD, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
consider my lament.
2 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.
5 The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
6 you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, LORD, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
This is one of those Psalms that we'd probably try to avoid. It's not too happy. In fact, its a lament that cries out to God in the midst of some severe oppression at the hands of enemies. What emotions can you hear? If you read it out loud, what kind of voice is speaking? And who hears a voice like this?
ReplyDeleteThe faith of the Psalmist - David - looks to God as the one who hears this cry. What about the people of Haiti? Who hears their cry? What are they crying out for? Where are they discovering refuge? As we prepare for a trip to serve them, can we be so bold as to pray to God that we may be used as one of many replies God can use to assure suffering people that God is listening - and hears their prayers. Even as our task will be to build physical homes that will provide shelter and refuge - God's desire is that in all circumstances, that all people find their refuge in a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Even us.
This psalm is a cry against the wicked and the evil they are doing, against how they have oppressed the psalmist. In Haiti, there may be no big oppressor, but the earthquake has left Haiti in serious trouble, and the horrible conditions have left it unable to function in many ways. These conditions could be seen as oppressive, in their own way, because they can drain people of all hope. I pray that the people will find hope again through God.
ReplyDeleteMy Tia is really into Toms (a shoe brand). She has been trying to get me to buy a pair and I have to admit that I caved this weekend (shiny things are my weakness). For those of you who do not know Toms' mission: for every pair of shoes they sell they donate a pair to a child in the third world.
ReplyDeleteI was on the Toms facebook page looking at all the countries that they pass out shoes. According to them around 80% of the population in Haiti lives in poverty. What shocked me about that is that this is far greater than most of the African countries the organization is in (who hover around 50%).
Talk about a group of people that is crying out and lamenting for hope... people that could use the love of God.