Psa 5:10 | KingComments | STEP | David has prayed his prayer for help and he is confident of the answer. Yet the assailants who surround him are still present in full measure and strength. To know how to deal with them, he asks for the LORD’s guidance in . He does this in an impressive way, in a way that is an example for us to follow. First, he asks the LORD to lead him in His righteousness. With that he asks for instruction in the ordinances of God, to keep them. If he heeds them, those ordinances will keep him in the way God has determined for him and in which He will provide justice for him. He does not come to God with a self-conceived plan to ask His blessing on it. He only wants to walk in the righteousness, the justice, of God. He asks God to make the way straight before him, so he will not stumble or go down a winding road or take a side way. It is not the attitude and actions of his attackers that determine his tactics, but God and His righteousness. He asks this “because of” his “foes”. If God leads him in His righteousness, it will be a testimony to his attackers and will not be attributed to his own clever actions. They will therefore have no occasion to rejoice in his falling into sin. What he asks in view of his foes relates primarily to what they say ( ). David speaks at length about this. He points to “their inward part”, “their throat”, and “their tongue”. His foes do not control him, but they do talk a lot about him. The evil of the tongue is often even more to be feared than violent acts. The slander campaign is running at full speed. In what they say, “there is nothing reliable”. In “their inward part”, their heart, is “destruction”, that is what they are after, that is what they think up. What comes out of “their throat” is lethal. “An open grave” is a grave prepared for a dead person to be laid in (cf. ). These pictures can only be recognized by those who live in fellowship with God. It is all hidden in “their tongue”, their smoothed tongue, with which they flatter unsuspecting listeners in order to drag them along to the destruction of death. This description of the wicked is quoted by Paul in the letter to the Romans. Indeed, what David says of them here applies to every human being. It is one of the quotations by which Paul makes it clear that no man is righteous ( ). David, and in him the believing remnant in the end time, appeals to God to hold his attackers guilty ( ). On the basis of the declaration of guilt, he asks God to “let them fall” and do so “by their own devices”. The meaning is that they are brought down by their own devices. Their devices are causing their own fall (cf. ; ). Their devices have led them to “the multitude of their transgressions”. Man’s thinking leads him to nothing but committing sins. Therefore, God must thrust them out of His presence. Thus, He had to “thrust” Adam and Eve “out” of paradise because of their transgression of His commandment ( ). David mentions the ground for condemnation and the exercise of judgment: “For they are rebellious against You.” They are rebellious and reluctant. He is not asking for God’s condemnation and judgment because they treat him, David, so defamatory, but because they profoundly fail to acknowledge God’s authority. In Psalm 4 he has tried to reach the hearts of the rebellious people ( ). Now that this proves futile, only judgment remains. David does not himself exercise vengeance on the rebellious people, but hands it over to God (cf. ; ). The cry for vengeance in is typical of Psalms. This is appropriate for God’s earthly people. In the future, when the church has been caught up, the cry for vengeance on the wicked is heard from the mouths of believers ( ). However, just as here with David, they are asking God to do it; they are not asking for vengeance themselves. They are not asking for vengeance because they are revengeful, but because they long for justice to take its course. For us, members of the New Testament church, asking for vengeance is not appropriate. Nor did the Lord Jesus exercise vengeance during His life on earth. He rebuked His disciples, when they wanted fire to come down from heaven, and explained to them the real purpose of His coming to earth ( ). He shows us to pray for our enemies ( ). Stephen understood this and prayed for forgiveness for his murderers ( ). The faithful remnant of Israel, for whom the blessings are earthly, will possess the earth and enjoy all the blessings God has promised His earthly people. To enjoy that blessing in peace and rest, it is necessary that His people be delivered from the violent and deceitful men. That will happen through the judgment that Christ brings on those enemies. The New Testament believers of the church are delivered from their enemies in another way: they are taken away from the earth, where violent men reign, and go to heaven.

‏ Psalms 5:10

Prayer for Guidance

David has prayed his prayer for help and he is confident of the answer. Yet the assailants who surround him are still present in full measure and strength. To know how to deal with them, he asks for the LORD’s guidance in Psa 5:8. He does this in an impressive way, in a way that is an example for us to follow.

First, he asks the LORD to lead him in His righteousness. With that he asks for instruction in the ordinances of God, to keep them. If he heeds them, those ordinances will keep him in the way God has determined for him and in which He will provide justice for him. He does not come to God with a self-conceived plan to ask His blessing on it. He only wants to walk in the righteousness, the justice, of God. He asks God to make the way straight before him, so he will not stumble or go down a winding road or take a side way.

It is not the attitude and actions of his attackers that determine his tactics, but God and His righteousness. He asks this “because of” his “foes”. If God leads him in His righteousness, it will be a testimony to his attackers and will not be attributed to his own clever actions. They will therefore have no occasion to rejoice in his falling into sin.

What he asks in view of his foes relates primarily to what they say (Psa 5:9). David speaks at length about this. He points to “their inward part”, “their throat”, and “their tongue”. His foes do not control him, but they do talk a lot about him. The evil of the tongue is often even more to be feared than violent acts. The slander campaign is running at full speed.

In what they say, “there is nothing reliable”. In “their inward part”, their heart, is “destruction”, that is what they are after, that is what they think up. What comes out of “their throat” is lethal. “An open grave” is a grave prepared for a dead person to be laid in (cf. Jer 5:16). These pictures can only be recognized by those who live in fellowship with God. It is all hidden in “their tongue”, their smoothed tongue, with which they flatter unsuspecting listeners in order to drag them along to the destruction of death.

This description of the wicked is quoted by Paul in the letter to the Romans. Indeed, what David says of them here applies to every human being. It is one of the quotations by which Paul makes it clear that no man is righteous (Rom 3:13).

David, and in him the believing remnant in the end time, appeals to God to hold his attackers guilty (Psa 5:10). On the basis of the declaration of guilt, he asks God to “let them fall” and do so “by their own devices”. The meaning is that they are brought down by their own devices. Their devices are causing their own fall (cf. Job 18:7; Hos 11:6).

Their devices have led them to “the multitude of their transgressions”. Man’s thinking leads him to nothing but committing sins. Therefore, God must thrust them out of His presence. Thus, He had to “thrust” Adam and Eve “out” of paradise because of their transgression of His commandment (Gen 3:24).

David mentions the ground for condemnation and the exercise of judgment: “For they are rebellious against You.” They are rebellious and reluctant. He is not asking for God’s condemnation and judgment because they treat him, David, so defamatory, but because they profoundly fail to acknowledge God’s authority. In Psalm 4 he has tried to reach the hearts of the rebellious people (Psa 4:2-5). Now that this proves futile, only judgment remains. David does not himself exercise vengeance on the rebellious people, but hands it over to God (cf. Rom 12:19; 2Tim 4:14).

The cry for vengeance in Psa 5:10 is typical of Psalms. This is appropriate for God’s earthly people. In the future, when the church has been caught up, the cry for vengeance on the wicked is heard from the mouths of believers (Rev 6:10). However, just as here with David, they are asking God to do it; they are not asking for vengeance themselves. They are not asking for vengeance because they are revengeful, but because they long for justice to take its course.

For us, members of the New Testament church, asking for vengeance is not appropriate. Nor did the Lord Jesus exercise vengeance during His life on earth. He rebuked His disciples, when they wanted fire to come down from heaven, and explained to them the real purpose of His coming to earth (Lk 9:54-56). He shows us to pray for our enemies (Lk 23:34). Stephen understood this and prayed for forgiveness for his murderers (Acts 7:60).

The faithful remnant of Israel, for whom the blessings are earthly, will possess the earth and enjoy all the blessings God has promised His earthly people. To enjoy that blessing in peace and rest, it is necessary that His people be delivered from the violent and deceitful men. That will happen through the judgment that Christ brings on those enemies. The New Testament believers of the church are delivered from their enemies in another way: they are taken away from the earth, where violent men reign, and go to heaven.