Psalm 5 (text); Revelation 7:9-17
May 31, 2015 • Pasig Covenant Reformed Church
Congregation of Christ: Who among us in this gathered assembly does not have personal enemies? Enemies are a part of life, even as Christians. When God regenerated us by his Spirit, he did not work magic in which all our enemies disappeared. Our enemies surround us on every side. We go to bed at night and get up in the morning with our thoughts on how our enemies oppose and even persecute us. How am I going to remove my enemies from my life? Sadly, enemies are part and parcel of our pilgrim life.
Our text today, Psalm 5, comes after two psalms that King David prayed as he was being pursued by his enemies. Psalm 3 is a morning prayer when King David fled from his own son Absalom who led a successful rebellion against him. Psalm 4 is similar prayer before he lay down to sleep.
Psalm 5 as well is a prayer against his enemies, but this time, David prays to the Lord for the destruction of his enemies. David laments being persecuted by “bloodthirsty and deceitful†men. But, like other psalms of lament, he ends this psalm with confidence that God who is just and righteous hears his prayer. Similar to the contrast between the righteous and the wicked in Psalm 1, Psalm 5 proclaims a God who “abhors†and “hates†evildoers, but blesses his righteous people.
Although Psalm 5 is an individual psalm, it can be sung by all believers, because all Christians go through life with sufferings and persecutions. Today, we will consider three things concerning this prayer of lament then trust: 1. The Lord Who Hears Prayer; 2. The Evildoers Whom God Hates; 3. The Righteous Whom the Lord Blesses.
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