While the structure of the Psalter is not entirely obvious, there are certain themes that tend to cluster. Immediately after introducing the "blessed man" in Psalm 1, and pointing out that the Messiah, the anointed King, is the Son of God, the one in whom we must take refuge if we wish to be blessed, the Psalter explores the theme of refuge. The Psalms are divided into five books. The word here translated "refuge" is found 25 times in the Psalter--15 times in the first book (the first 41 Psalms).

But it's not just about the word "refuge." If you look at Psalms 3-7, you will notice that only Psalm 5 and Psalm 7 actually use the word refuge, but all five of them focus on the same idea. David cries out for deliverance in Psalm 3, describing Yahweh as a "shield about me." In verse 4, he speaks of how Yahweh answered him from his holy hill. And notice the result: When God answered David's prayer, he lay down and slept. He had found refuge in the care of the Lord. Psalm 4 calls upon God to hear the prayer of the godly, concluding, "in peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 6 likewise calls out to God for deliverance. Verses 6-7 speak of how he floods his bed with tears every night; without the deliverance of the Lord, he has no strength. But then in verses 8-10 he declares that the Lord has heard his plea, and therefore his enemies will be driven back. Psalm 7 starts by declaring, "O Yahweh, my God, in you do I take refuge--save me from all my pursuers and deliver me!" 

But Psalm 7 adds an interesting note: to take refuge in the Lord is to seek justice from him. David says, "if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, And let him trample my life to the ground, And lay my glory in the dust." In verses 6-7 David speaks of the appointed judgment of God, and in verse 8 declares, "Judge me, O Yahweh, according to my righteousness, and according to the integrity that is in me." Being righteous is not the same as being sinless. But the one who comes to God for refuge, comes asking God to provide justice. After all, why do you seek refuge? Is it not because your enemies are pursuing you? The world, the flesh, and the devil have conspired to destroy you, and now you have fled to the living God, and you are saying, "Judge between me and my enemies!" "Do not let those who seek my life devour me!" When David declares, "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness," what righteousness is he appealing to? We all know that David was not sinless, so how could he claim to be blameless?

David claimed to be righteous because he was the son of God. This is the message of Psalm 2 that we saw last week. Since Israel was called to be the son of God, and David and his seed were the embodiment of Israel, the Davidic king was properly called the "Son of God"--the Messiah (the Anointed One). Indeed Psalm 8 will speak of humanity in this way: man was created to be the ruler over all things. Jesus Christ, as the divine Son of God, has also come as the human Son of God. He rules over all things, thereby restoring our place in the creation, AND glorifying us through participation in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), so that we might share with him in the rule of the new creation. God is a righteous judge. If he has declared you to be his son, his heir, then you may flee to him and say, "Vindicate me, Father!" Because you have made me you child, because you have declared me righteous, Vindicate me! Deliver me from my enemies. There was nothing that David did to "earn" his place as a son of God. He was the youngest son of Jesse, a shepherd boy. And yet God raised him up to be King over all Israel. It was all the work of God's grace. David is not saying, "I've been so righteous in myself, that you owe it to me, God!" No, he comes to God as a son to his father, and pleads, "Save me from my enemies. Remember your son--the one you have made to look like you!"

Now, this also means that you need to act like a son of God! David admits in 7:3-5, that if he is guilty of repaying evil to one who is at peace with him, or if he has plundered his enemy without cause, then by all means, find me guilty! These Psalms of refuge are, like 1 Peter, about unjust suffering. If you have sinned against your neighbor, then don't call upon God to vindicate you! Insofar as it is up to you, live at peace with all men (Romans 12:18; Hebrews 12:14) The one who takes refuge in the Lord cannot remain the person he once was.

This, then, is the immediate context of Psalm 5. The Psalmist cries out for God to hear him, acknowledging that Yahweh is "my King and my God." Again, the idea is that "if you do not answer me, then no one will." The Psalmist acknowledges that he has no other refuge. Psalm 5 was probably written to be sung at the morning sacrifice. Verse 3 speaks of the morning sacrifice and the Psalm was no doubt written to be sung during the morning sacrifice as the king came into the temple to worship God. But it would be appropriate for any Israelite who participated in the morning sacrifice (Because, after all, the king is merely the embodiment of the people of God). The point of the Psalm (as of the morning sacrifice), is that our first thoughts of the day need to be directed toward God. The daily morning sacrifice was to orient all Israel to the fact that the Lord was the center of their lives. This is why the early churches and the reformation churches frequently maintained daily morning and evening prayers. And when morning and evening prayers in the church building were impossible (due to distance or schedules), they encouraged families to meet together for daily (morning and evening) prayer. If we all lived in the same neighborhood, perhaps we could do this. We could walk to the church building every morning, and every evening. (Perhaps when you get a building you should consider this!) But as Psalms 3, 4 and 6 speak of going to your rest in the evening, with your heart set upon the Lord, so now Psalm 5 calls you to turn your heart to Christ, and his sacrifice, every morning.

Notice why the Psalm calls us to cry to the Lord, and worship him: (v 4-6) It is because God is just. The reason why you take refuge in the Lord, is because you are confident that he is not a God who delights in wickedness. Evil may not dwell with him. That is why you may rest safely in him! And don't you dare say, "But I'm evil!" The context of the sacrifice has dealt with that. If you are in Jesus Christ, then you are not evil. For God hates all evildoers (v5). He destroys those who speak lies and abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful. And again notice how the Psalmist approaches the Lord: "But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house." It's not because I've never done anything wrong. It's because of the steadfast love (the covenant faithfulness) of the Lord. (Steadfast love translates hesed, which refers to the ideas of faithfulness/love/mercy in a covenantal relation.)

God is faithful to his covenant. Remember his covenant? The one he made with Abraham, declaring that all nations would be blessed through him? The one he made with Israel through Moses, declaring that they would be the instrument of his blessing to the nations? The one he made with David, declaring that his son would rule forever at his right hand.

The Psalmist declares that we may enter the temple of the Lord and bow down and worship before him, because we come through the abundance of HIS covenant faithfulness (or steadfast love). This is why God sent Jesus. And as Jesus sang this Psalm, he understood that it was the covenant faithfulness of the Lord that upheld him.

The Psalm concludes with contrasting the way of the wicked and the way of the righteous. Psalm 5 concludes where Psalm 7 begins: asking for God's judgment. Verse 9 presents the case, as a lawyer presenting his arguments: "There is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue." The wicked are described here with all sorts of statements about what they say. But what they say reflects "their inmost selves." Jesus reminded us of this when he said that it is from the heart that the mouth speaks. And James speaks of this when he warns that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. And indeed, the Psalmist cries out for judgment against the wicked: "Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you." Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword, and those who live by speaking evil of others, shall fall by their own counsels. 

One thinks of Hamaan, in the book of Esther, who devised evil for the Jews, and who built a gallows for Mordecai, but his wicked counsels came back upon his own head, and he was hanged on the gallows that he built for Mordecai. But the Psalmist also pleads the case of the righteous before God: "But 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."

If you are in Christ Jesus, if you have taken refuge in Him, then you are righteous. You are acceptable to God in Jesus Christ. You have found favor in his sight. Certainly it is all due to God's grace, to his covenant faithfulness. But I think that sometimes we tend to think that if it is of grace, then it isn't really true. Because I'm not really righteous in and of myself, therefore I'm not really righteous.

Think about what you are saying. You are saying, "Jesus blood can't really do anything about my sin." You are saying that works are more powerful than grace. But think also about the ethical effect of saying that. I once believed that I could not help but sin. I believed that I was a sinner, and if I am a sinner, then sinning is just "what I do." That is a damnable lie.

The Word of God does not speak of those who are in Christ Jesus as sinners. When you were in Adam, then it was true: you were unable to avoid sinning. But now that you are in Christ, you are able to avoid sin. I did not say that you are able to be perfect. But you never have to sin. Sin no longer characterizes your identity. You are no longer defined by sin. You are in Christ. All that is his has become yours. And HE is righteous. Therefore you are righteous.

Now, be (in Christ) who you are (in Christ).

And as God has blessed Jesus Christ, and covered him with favor as with a shield, so now God blesses you, the righteous, and covers you with favor as with a shield. And when temptation strikes, remind the tempter that you are not his anymore. Look the tempter in the eye and say, "I don't have to do that!" It was in this context that the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"

We come to the Lord's Table to find the grace to withstand the assaults of the Evil One.
 

Copyright © 2002 Peter J. Wallace