Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

1    Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
2    Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3    O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

4    For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
5    The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6    You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

7    But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
8    Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

9    For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
10    Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.

11    But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12    For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.

One of the things I’ve noticed about the Psalm are how earthy and raw they are. David doesn’t hold anything back, but opens his heart to the One he trusts. He cries out to God to deliver him. He knows that there is no way God can be on the side of the wicked and those who lie, boast, flatter, destroy, and rebel.

David knows he will enter the house of God through “the abundance of [God’s] steadfast love.” It is God’s love that allows David to pray this prayer. It is because of God’s love that David walks the path of righteousness rather than the path of wickedness.

David takes refuge in God because David has encountered God’s love. May it also be with you this day. Cry out to God to deliver you from your enemies because you have entered into God’s house through the doorway of his love. May you rejoice and sing for joy because you are trusting in God to see you through this day! May God be your shield today.