Lead Me ... Because of my Enemies! Psalms 3-5

 Psalms 5:8 (ESV)

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make your way straight before me.

Lead Me ... Because of my enemies!

When we have someone attack us verbally, emotionally, or even physically, our tendency is to strike back.   Our desire is to get even.  Our defense is to attack.  In this psalm we see David starts out asking God to consider his “groaning.”  

Psalms 5:1 (ESV)

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD;

consider my groaning.

Apparently there was something happening in his life that was unsettling.   The last couple of verses of the psalm give us a clue about it:

Psalms 5:9-10 (ESV)

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;

their inmost self is destruction;

their throat is an open grave;

they flatter with their tongue.

10 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.

David was asking for protection from someone who was deceptive, destructive and rebellious.   Instead of being aggressive in return, in verse eight, David asks God for direction and guidance.  David wants to respond in righteousness.  This is an unusual approach to those who are out to destroy you.   But, David is a man after God’s own heart.   David wants to be a righteous man and he simply asks for God’s leading through this attack, rather than vengeance on the attacker.   There will be some psalms that David prays an imprecatory prayer of doom on his enemies.   This is not one of them.   Here he simply asks God for strength to respond in a righteous manner.   Imagine if our churches and all Christian communities lived with this approach toward their conflicts.   In the midst of being attack we ought to reach out in search of God’s righteousness.  Notice how Jesus told us to respond to those who attack us and/or want to do us harm:

Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV)

Retaliation

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Notice what Paul said:

Romans 12:19-21 (ESV)

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In order to overcome evil with good you have to be good. That is why David cries out for God’s righteousness.   That will enable him to deal with those around him that wish to hurt him.  Rather than groaning he wants to be righteous.