Psalm 5: God Will Make A Straight Way For Us Before Our Enemies

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Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies --
make STRAIGHT YOUR WAY before me.
(Psalm 5:8)

A straight way is a righteous way.
We do not have to resort to the same evil ways of our enemies to defend ourselves. If we do evil to our enemies, we will nolonger be righteous before God. Then God cannot help us any longer. And the devil will continue to use evil men to oppress us.

A straight way will always bring us out of our trials with triumph over our enemies.
God has a thousand and one ways to deliver us from our enemies. OUr Almighty God has the wisdom and the power to deliver us from our enemies. Nothing can thwart or hinder God's good plans for us.

No matter how many our enemiy are. No matter how strong and powerful they may seem. No matter how hopeless the situation may be. No one can withstand the power of God.

Our God who loves us will make a straight way out for us. Nothing, whether spiritual or natural, can separate us from God's love and power to deliver us (Romans 8:37-39). We are more than conquerors in Christ, and we shall triumph over every difficult situaltion, as we walk after God's ways.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, neither anything else in all creation, will be able to SEPARATE US from the LOVE OF GOD that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:37-39)

Psalm 5 is a psalm of David in which David seeks a straight way from God in the face of his enemies. As we study this psalm, we can learn from God's word many truths concerning the various aspects of our trials and our deliverance by God.

These truths include the following
Turning to God in prayer every morning.
God cannot tolerate or bless evil men.
We must worship God in the midst of our trials.
We must always walk in the ways of God (a straight way) before our enemies.
God will bless the righteous and deliver them.

1 Give ears to my words, O LORD,

consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,

my King and my God.
for to you I pray.
3 Morning by morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;


with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;

you hate all who do wrong.
6 You destroy those who tell lies;

bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy,


will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down

toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies --
make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;


thier heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak deceit.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;


let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favors as with a shield.
(Psalm 5:1-12)

1. Turning to God in prayer every morning.
David turned to God in prayer for help when he was in need. Onl Gad can deliver us from our trials. Only God can save us from our enemies. Seek God first.

1 Give ears to my words, O LORD,

consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,

my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 Morning by morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

morning by morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
(Psalm 5:1-3)

David sought God every day in morning. Prayer to God should be our first activity of the day. It is entrusting our day to God. It is acknowledging that with God's help for that day, everything will work out for our good throughout that day (Romans 8:28).

If we were to seek God only after a day is almost over, we are telling God that we do not need Him to see us through the day. With such an attitude, a multitude of problems with come your way. Therefore always seek God at the beginning of a new day.

Do not say that you do not have the time. Mke the time, no matter how short it may be. Seek God first and everything else will be under God's care. Otherwise, you will be rushing to God when crises come because you have not turned to God in the morning.

Also, David prayed in faith. He prayed and then waited in expectation (Psalm 5:3). He had faith that God has answered him and that God will deliver him. Only a prayer of faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Only a prayer of faith allows God's miracle power to save and to deliver us. If you do not express your faith with thanksgiving after your prayer, you will not receive your deliverance (Mark 11:24; James 1:6-8).

2. God cannot tolerate or bless evil men.
Though the wicked around us seem to be powerful and out of the reach of human laws, they will not last long. God abhors and hates their arrogant and evil deeds. God will destroy them (Psalm 3:5-6;9-10).

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;

with you the wicked cannot dwell.
5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;

you HATE all who do wrong.
6 You DESTROY those who tell lies;

bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD ABHORS.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;


their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you.
(Psalm 5:4-6;9-10)

Men may honor such wicked men. They may even be socially popular and famous. However, they cannot stand in God's presence. They do not walk under God's blessings.

We do not have to be upset or be angry with or be envious of evil, arrogant or deceitful people around us. We only have to pray for them and surrender them to God (Matthew 5:43-45). God knows how to deal with them, in His justice and mercy. Trust God. Unless God touches them and causes them to repent, they will fall in due time.

3. We must worship God in the midst of our trials.
In the midst of our trials, we must keep on worshipping God (Psalm 5:7).

7 But I, by your great mercy,

will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down

toward your holy temple
(Psalm 5:7)

God is your Creator. He is also your Savior. He is your Father God. You you His son, a son in His kingdom. It is your honor and privilege to worship the True and Living God, for that is your first calling as a son of God (John 4:23).

As you worship God, God will begin to move on your behalf. As you worship God, God will begin to manifest His power and deliver you. As you worship God, God will nullify the plans of your enemies (2 Chronicles 20:20-23; Acts 16:16-28; Psalm 8:2; 149:6-9).

Many sulk and blame God for their problems and trials. They feel that God is unfair to them. They feel that God has not done enough for them. They feel that God does not answer them fast enough or care form them enough. They have a pity party and then refuse to worship God anymore. This is the most stupid, childish and useless attitude anyone can take.

If your troubles have come because of your righteous walk, rejoice that you are worthy to suffer for Christ's sake (Matthew 5:10-12). This is proof that you are a child of God and proof that your reward will be great in heaven.

However, if your troubles have come because of your own sins and stubbornness, repent quickly and God will restore your fortunes (Luke 15:17-24). Never blame God, your husband, wife, children, church members or leaders for the problems caused by your own sinful attitudes. If you do that, you are adding sin upon sin, and God will not deliver you.

4. We must always walk in the way of God (a straight way) before our enemies.
No matter what evil our enemies may have done to us, we must never repay evil for evil, but instead always do good to all men, even to our enemies (Luke 6:27-28). We must always ask God to prepare a straight way for us to walk in (Psalm 5:8). We must always walk in the righteousness of God even in the midst of great provocations and persecutions from our enemies.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies --
make STRAIGHT YOUR WAY before me.
(Psalm 5:8)

If we resort to evil, we alienate (separate) ourselves from God's blessings. We have made God our enemy and He is no longer our Helper.

Instead, our sins open a door for the devil to legally attack us and oppress us through our enemies (Ephesians 4:26-27). We must be careful of his tricky schemes and wiles (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).

5. God will bless the righteous and deliver them.
Always believe that God will work all things out for your good and that He will ultimately deliver you (Romans 8:28; Psalm 5:11-12). No matter how desperate the situation is, believe that God is with you and is working on your behalf.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
(Psalm 5:11-12)

Therefore, like David, begin to be glad in God and to sing for joy. God will protect you. He will bless you. He will cause His favor (grace, love, mercy, goodness, health, healing, strength, power) to surround you like a shield. You will see His deliverance in due time. Only believe.

Never doubt and begin to complain or grumble. If you do so, then you are showing that you do not believe that God is delivering you. If you complain and grumble, God will not deliver you, help you, heal you or protect you. In fact, by your grumbling, you are believing more in the power of the devil to oppress you than in the power of God to save you. Therefore, if you continue to complain, God will leave you to your problems.

Rather, in eery trial, begin to rejoice in God (James 1:2). God is delivering you as soon as you have asked Him (Mark 11:24). The bigger the trial, the bigger the miracle of healing or protection or deliverance. And God will receive the greater glory. Just continue to praise God and be glad in Him.

Your Thought
1. Have you been tempted to repay evil for evil?

Why is it wrong?
What must we do instead?

2. What should our attitude be toward God as we await His deliverance int he midst of our trials?

Why do some believers constantly complain and grumble when they face problems? does it help the situation at all?

3. Why do we like to blame others for the problems caused by our own sinful attitude?

Will it help God to solve our problems when we blame our problems on others, when such problems are partly a result of our own sin?