Some thoughts from Psalm 5 this morning. I was especially struck by the first seven verses.

¹Hearken to my words, O Lord, attend to my cry. ²Attend to the voice of my supplication, my King, and my God: for to thee, O Lord, will I pray. ³In the morning thou shalt hear my voice: in the morning will I wait upon thee, and will look up. ⁴For thou art not a God that desires iniquity; neither shall the worker of wickedness dwell with thee. ⁵Neither shall the transgressors continue in thy sight: thou hatest, O Lord, all them that work iniquity. ⁶Thou wilt destroy all that speak falsehood: the Lord abhors the bloody and deceitful man. ⁷But I will enter into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy: I will worship in thy fear toward thy holy temple.^*

David is coming to the Lord in prayer, asking to be heard of God. He then describes the LORD‘s disposition regarding sinful man. Though a forgiven sinner, David knows that what he prays in verses 4–6 describes himself, even as it does all mankind. David knew himself. He had no illusions regarding the sinful man that he was. In verse 6 he sums up God’s indictment and judgment by declaring that the LORD abhors the bloody and deceitful man.The corruption of sin that touches every part of not only the unbeliever’s nature, but that of the believer, places one in a position of rightly deserving God’s abhorrence and wrath.

One can almost hear Paul’s cry found in Rom. 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?”

But is wrath and condemnation the response David finds? He supplies the answer in verse 7, “But I will enter into thine house in the multitude of thy mercy… ” David’s acknowledgment of the LORD‘s diagnosis of his corrupt and sinful condition leads him to trust in the only remedy offered, God’s free mercy. David will enter the house of the LORD “in the multitude of His mercy.” David, having a reality-based fear of God, is thus able to comprehend something of the immensity of the LORD‘s mercy bestowed on him. That mercy is the promise of righteousness to the ungodly, to those who, like Abraham, put their trust for forgiveness in the mercy of God offered alone in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:5–8:

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Paul again in Rom. 7:25; 8:1,

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord… There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

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NOTES
^*Brenton English Septuagint.