Psalms 5:1-12

There is a tendency in our culture today towards relativity.  Many believe that there is not right or wrong, that we all have the right to choose what works best for us as long as we don’t hurt others.  The Bible and this Psalm stand in stark disagreement with this vision of the world and truth.  We can see that there is a very clear contrast between the obedient and the disobedient.  Their actions, the results of their lives and their standing before God are far different from one another.  As we read through David’s description of himself and his description of the wicked it should be very easy to see which of the two best describes us.  Many people live on the path of wickedness but expect the judgment of the righteous this is delusion and will end in great disappointment and loss.

THE ROAD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: We can see a clear description of how the righteous relate with God as well as where that relationship leads.  First of all we see that the righteous pray.  They come before the Lord every morning with praise and prayer coming out of their mouths.  They live in fear of the lord and are humbled by God’s love for them.  God’s Word and Spirit are their guides along the paths that they choose and the desire of their hearts is to please the Lord.  God is the source of their strength, their hope for deliverance and the place their faith in Him.  This path of righteousness leads them to a place of protection where they sing with joy before the Lord.  God’s blessings and His shield of protection are abundant in their lives.  That is not to say that the path of righteousness does not have its problems and persecutions along the way.  However, at the end of the path there is eternal joy in the presence of God.

THE ROAD OF REBELLION: This path and its destiny are also clearly described and it is a very clear contrast to the path described above.  The path of rebellion is marked with evil, pride, dishonesty, violence, flattery and guilt.  Instead of being directed by God’s Word and His Spirit; they are guided by their own wicked hearts.  They long for pleasure, comfort, personal recognition, wealth and do not care how they obtain these idols of their hearts.  They act as their own god and stand guilty before the Lord.  The road of rebellion leads to destruction.  They are condemned before God and cast out of His holy presence.  The weight of their guilt will come down fully upon them.  They have not protection from God; rather, they will be punished by Him for all of eternity.  The road of rebellion may have passing pleasures just as the road of righteousness has passing persecution; but in the end the rebellious will suffer pain and rejection being eternally excluded from the presence of God.