As we were praying Psalm 5 this morning, I think I saw something I had not before:
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
Who are our enemies? Not flesh and blood. Not ever. Instead, we wrestle against "the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Eph. 6:12) We pray this prayer against Satan and the evil angels, asking God's protection. We confess that they are liars: "for there is no truth in their mouth." And even more, we confess that they are unity with Death and Hell itself. "Their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave." That is, they wish to devour us (1 Peter 5) and their devouring of us, bringing us into their "destruction," is their aim. They accomplish this aim with the lies they try to sell us.
But our Lord exposes the devil and his minion for what they are: liars and murderers. Their very nature has become that they do not stand in the truth. And He has come among us "to witness to the truth" as our Lord witnessed to Pilate.
The truth beyond all truths is the love of God for the fallen race of men manifested in our Savior's death for us. And so, "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. For you bless the righteous, O Lord, you cover him with favor as with a shield."
O Lord, protect us from Satan's lies and spread over your Church your favor as a shield! Amen.
2 comments:
Well, I hardly know how to follow a comment like that of Mr. Rapture - but I'll try.
The Psalms are a treasure we will never fully mine - I think your reading is right on with us in the praying seat. But I think how it hit my ears this morning can work along side it. When I read those verses my thought was of Christ praying them - that the Father would lead him in the path of the Righteous of GOd which leads to the cross, because of, that is, for the sake of us "by nature creatures of wrath" that he might lay down his life and snatch us from our own throaty, open grave passions....
+HRC
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