Devotional Portion: Psalm 5:4-8
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
The righteous acts of the LORD are such that no wicked person can stay in His presence or dwell with Him. David’s thirst for GOD’s presence gave him a realisation of the reality of GOD’s holiness and man’s sinfulness. “If you are drawing close to God, you will become increasingly sensitive to sin, which is inevitable since the God you are approaching is a holy God.” (Boice). This knowledge about GOD makes us live in holiness and understand the righteousness of the LORD from a different dimension.
And David says, “But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.” (Vs. 7). He understood the fact that he got access to His presence only through His mercy. And his worship was out of reverence rather than out of fear. He acknowledges the fact that it is not by his works, but by His grace and mercy alone. He says with confidence that he is standing on the ground of GOD’s mercy and not on his self-righteousness; and his worship came out of his relationship with GOD and not based on what he had heard of GOD. David adds, “LORD, I come to Your presence not because You have made me the King of Israel. It’s not because You have chosen me from the wilderness. But when I gaze upon the multitude of mercy You have showered upon me, I can’t stay at home. The thoughts of Your everlasting mercy makes me thirst for more of Your presence. And those mercies make me humble to be in awe of Your presence and worship You.”
“Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.” (Vs. 8). David’s reliance on GOD is shown in these verses. He asks for guidance from GOD to walk in the straight way. He seeks protection from GOD’s presence because of his enemies.
Reflection: The more we draw closer to Him, the more humble we become. The mercies of GOD are new every morning. Find your peace in Him!
