Mensa Otabil - God Hates Wickedness
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David describes his enemies as faithless, destructive, deadly, and deceptive people whose words are like an open tomb, and he prays for God to declare them guilty and cast them out because their attacks are ultimately a rebellion against God Himself.
Enemies Surrounded: David's Cry in Psalm 5
We are in Psalm 5, and we're looking at verses 9 and 10. It reads, "For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their inward part is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue. Pronounce them guilty, O God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You."
The Hidden Hatred Inside
It's apparent that David wrote Psalm 5 at a time when his enemies were all around him, maliciously attacking him with false accusations. David sees these people as disloyal, unfaithful individuals—people who are close to him but are trying very hard to destroy him. If you look at the passage, he describes them as destructive. He says their inward part is destruction. That means that within them, in their motives and intentions, there is hostility.
Words That Kill: An Open Tomb
Then he says they are deadly people. Their throat is an open tomb. This means that these individuals come up with words or spew out all kinds of accusations to slander and ruin David. So, he states, "Their throat is an open tomb." They are deadly. He then says they are deceptive people. They flatter with their tongue, which means they are hypocritical and cunning. These are the kinds of people who have surrounded David and are giving him a hard time.
David's Bold Petition to God
Having mentioned the sins of these people before God, he now petitions God to do something about it. He asks that God pronounce them guilty, and from that pronouncement of guilt, drive them away from His presence. David sees what these people are doing as a rebellion not only against him but against God. This is true because God's future plan of salvation deeply involves David.
Why This Attack Is Against God Himself
It started with Abraham but is now on David, and the line is from the Davidic line. Anyone fighting David and opposing him might indeed be fighting against the purposes of God because of this grand agenda of salvation, which is coming through the line of David. So, David does not view this as a personal attack. There are times when people attack you personally because you've done something bad, or you might attack others, and they attack you back.
When Opposition Targets God's Plan
But there are also times when people are simply frustrating or attempting to frustrate the purposes of God. That is what is happening here. As David states, "for they have rebelled against You." This is not just something against David but against the Lord. Thus, David petitions the Lord to drive them away from His presence. He may enter God's presence, but he asks God not to allow these people into His presence.
The Danger of "Dangerous Prayers" Today
Now that leads us to the prayer of David—prayers that sometimes petition God against our enemies, the imprecatory prayers or prayers of curses that people release against others. In our part of the world, people call these dangerous prayers, and they release all sorts of these prayers because they read some of David's words. Whenever they feel displeased with something, they release a prayer against someone.
What David Really Understood
However, that is not what is happening here; David sees himself as preserving the line of God, the heritage of salvation. These people are frustrating the heritage of salvation. He states they are rebelling against God—not against David, not because David did something wrong, but because they are rebelling against God. He says, "God, drive them out from Your presence."
Should Christians Pray Like This?
The big question is, should we be praying such prayers in the New Testament? In light of what Christ taught us, should we be praying against our enemies? Clearly, Jesus said we should pray for our enemies, and He demonstrated it on the cross when He said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing," to His enemies.
The New Testament Way: Grace Over Judgment
From a Christian point of view, a New Testament perspective, we do not pray against our enemies. We pray for God's grace, God's mercy, and God's forgiveness for those who dislike us. That's the significant lesson to learn. David surrenders his enemies to God, but it is left to God to determine what He wants to do with those who oppose you—whether He wants to show them grace or judgment, that is up to God.
Let's Pray Together
Let us pray. Say with me, "Heavenly Father, You are the great Deliverer. Deliver me from every trap of wickedness that has been set for me, in Jesus' name." Amen.