The Thing I Want (or should want) Most

Hey everyone!
So, the last few Mondays we have done a Psalm – so today we will pick up where we left of last Monday! We will be looking at Psalm 5 reading one of what many call a morning prayer from King David. 

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.

As you read that you can perceive the urgency in David’s tone, he really wants God to hear him and respond. What is it that David is desiring so?

3 O Lord, in the morning You hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch.

It is striking how often we read of people in both the Old and New Testament praying in the morning. Indeed, in Mark 1:35, we are told that Jesus got up before the sun to go off by Himself and pray. Now it is important to pray all the time, last Monday we covered what many use as an “evening prayer”. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. But there is something to starting your day out before the Lord. I have a mentor who, the first thing he does every morning is get on his knees and pray. This way you begin your day in the proper posture. 

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.

Do you see the harsh language here? God hates the evil doers, He destroys those who lie, abhors the deceitful man. This shouldn’t surprise us, if God is perfect in justice, indeed if God is Justice itself – every bit as much as He is love – than what choice does Justice have but hate evildoers? Yet, as we mentioned, as John tells us in 1 John 4:8, God is also, equally love! How can love hate the objects of its love? I know it’s confusing but here’s where we find the Gospel in Psalm 5! God sent Jesus to become the evil doer, to become the blood thirsty and deceitful man on our behalf! He became the curse so that we wouldn’t have to. Not by actually sinning Himself, no, Jesus NEVER SINNED in spite of temptation. But rather by taking our sinfulness upon Himself. And so Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, that God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin…” So, all of the hate and destruction of your sin deserves was poured out on Christ. 

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.

David says, because of your love for me I can address you, be in your presence. And then we get to the point David has been leading up to, the big ask, 

8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    make Your way straight before me.

What does David want? God’s righteousness. He wants to walk in the way of God. Please understand, to be righteous doesn’t just mean to do what is right or be pure. It is so much more than that. That is the label on the outside of the jar – when you open it up and look inside you find something more. What is our culture screaming for all the time? Be your true self – follow your heart – discover your purpose in life – find love. All of this is in righteousness. To be righteous, to be in God’s righteousness is to go the straight way – the correct way – the way that we were meant to go – the way that we will be most fulfilled in going. And so Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied.And if we finish 2 Corinthians 5:21, God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. To live righteously is to live the way God has always wanted you to and the way you have always wanted to. Every soul longs for the righteous way of God whether they realize it or not. 

Allow me to finish the Psalm, 

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; again it is striking to remember that Jesus bore our guilt!
    let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, He was cast out in our place.
    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.
God will bless the righteous, but righteousness comes through faith. May you be hungry and thirsty for righteousness today!

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