Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my adversaries; make Your way straight before me. There is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues. Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against You.    Psalms 5:8-10 HCSB

Psalm 5 is just one of many Psalms where David calls upon God to intervene and punish his enemies. These are called imprecatory Psalms.

David was a mighty warrior. He began as just a young shepherd boy when he slayed the giant, Goliath who had terrorized the Israelite army. He went on to be a successful warrior who trusted in God. God brought him victory over and over. David was described in 1 Samuel 13:14 as a man after God’s own heart.

If you are suffering at the hands of an enemy, reading some of David’s Psalms can be quite comforting. I’ve often read if you are having trouble sleeping, read the Psalms. In Psalm 4:8, David said, “I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety.”

Is it right for us to ask God to judge our enemies? Jesus clearly told us in Matthew 5:44 to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.  From the cross he asked for forgiveness for those who crucified Him.

This Psalm is titled the Refuge of the Righteous. Here David is asking God to listen to him in vv. 1-3. David then acknowledges that we serve a just God who will not tolerate evil behavior. In verse 7 David humbles himself acknowledging that it is only by God’s grace that we can enter His house. He expresses fear or reverential awe of God. Then he asks for what we should ask God for daily, righteousness. We should daily ask God to lead us in His way.

In verse 9, David pleads his case against his enemies. In verse 10 David asks God to punish them not because of what they have done to him but because they rebel against God.

Finally, David ends this Psalm by boasting about God’s being a refuge for the righteous. In verse 11 he said, “Let all who take refuge in You rejoice..” Charles Spurgeon said that the joyful believer is no lunatic carried away by his own delusion, but he has a “because” with which to account for all his joy.

David calling for justice on his enemies was based on what is written in Deuteronomy 25:1 which says, “If there is a dispute between men they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty.”

David contrasts the righteous or the innocent with the wicked or guilty.

First David prayed for God to listen to him and hear his prayer. He expressed his deep sorrow over the oppression of his enemies, and he asked God to take action not because of what they had done to him but because they rebelled against God.

We are to pray for our enemies. If they are saved, they can become our brothers and sisters in Christ. If they reject God, God will deal with them. We must humble ourselves before Him. We must trust in His way and His timing.

If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and you are truly a blood bought child of God, He’s got your back. You can take refuge in Him. David said in Psalm 91:1-2 “He who abides in the shelter of the Most High shall dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. My refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

Trust in God today. Humble yourself before Him and pray for righteousness. When it comes to your enemies, know God’s got this.

Have a great day!