The Violence of Mankind - Psalms 3-5

 Psalms 5:9-10 (ESV)

For there is no truth in their mouth;

their inmost self is destruction;

their throat is an open grave;

they flatter with their tongue.

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.

In these three songs of David (Psalms 3-5) we read about his anguish in regard to those who are trying to destroy him.   He calls those he is writing about his enemy. 

Psalms 3:7 (ESV)

Arise, O LORD!

Save me, O my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;

you break the teeth of the wicked.

Psalms 5:8 (ESV)

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make your way straight before me.

The heading of chapter three states that the enemy addressed is his own son, Absalom.   In the other two psalms he could be talking about Saul, or the descendants of the giant he killed, Goliath.   The point of the above verse is that David recognizes that his “enemies” have a deep, dark spiritual condition.   He recognizes that these people who are pursing him have first and foremost, “rebelled” against God.   When we encounter people in our lives that don’t like us, fight us in some way, or hinder our progress and/or even torment us, we often take it very personal.   It is hard to believe it is not personal.   It certainly was personal to David.   But, he realized that the catalyst behind their aggression toward him was their own lack of fear and love for the LORD.   Those who do not know God’s love, but rather reject it, will eventually find themselves attacking their fellow human being, in some cases, even their own father.   They do not have the love of God in them, so they can only express their hatred of Him toward those who love Him.   David understood the depravity of mankind.  Note what he says about it:

1.   There is no truth in their mouth (see Psalms 15)

2. Their inmost self is destructive.

3. Their throat (what they say) is an open grave, collecting those they are out to destroy. 

4. They “flatter” with their tongue, but only to deceive and destroy. 

David understood that those who were out to hurt him were inwardly lacking character.  Character is first generated by God.  If you lack a relationship with God, your depravity will eventually come to fruition.   They first reject God before they fight man.  So, the answer to change the world around us is the Gospel.  The Gospel restores the relationship man has with God. Once that is restored their relationship with other men Weill be restored.  Until then, no amount of social change or law of the land will prevent the destruction of man on man violence.