“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. 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.” Psalm 5:10-11
Devotion:
There are certain things that bind all humanity together. Amidst all our differences, we are all made in the image of God. And through all the radical diversity that exists in the human race, we are also all sinners. There is a serious unity we all share.
But the Bible also reveals a great divide between two groups of people—those who turn in faith to God and those who continue in their hardened hearts. Psalm 5 portrays this antithesis for us. In certain ways, this is hard for us because, on the one hand, dividing humanity in this way can make those of us who have grown up in a tolerant society uncomfortable. But it is also hard for us because, if we were to divide humanity, we would most likely separate the good people from the bad people—or something similar. But as the Bible describes it, the divide is not between good and bad but rather between the trusting and the rebelling.
So what do we make of this? We humbly receive God’s goodness as a gift. We boast in our Savior. And we maintain an open-hearted posture towards the world around us. When all is said and done, we will rejoice in Christ’s final triumph over all His enemies, but even then, it will be a grateful rejoicing since we know that we too were once rebels. We become wise in this life when we embrace this antithesis with humility and hope.
Prayer:
God, You are our refuge. You are the only safe hiding place where we can truly know we are secure. We can’t even rely on our own righteousness for cover, so we come to You in full faith.
Grant us wisdom to hate what You hate while keeping our hearts open with love for sinners. Keep us humble as we remember our own history and lead us to know the way forward.
We trust You completely now and look forward to the day You will bring perfect justice—not just for our own peace, but ultimately for the glory of Your righteous name. In Jesus’ name, we worship and pray. Amen.
