Day 41

Psalm 5

"Pronounce them guilty, O God!" Psalm 5:10

A PLEA FOR DIVINE JUSTICE

The Psalms are complex in many ways! One of the complexities that we will find in the Psalms is the way in which the author can call for Divine justice to be done. Consider the following text.

"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."
Psalm 5:10

1. "Pronounce them guilty, O God!"

This pronouncement presupposes the following things:-

a) The allegations against the wicked have been checked out.

b) These allegations have been proven to be true.

c) The guilt of the wicked has been established beyond the shadow of a doubt.

2. Official Divine Proclamation from the Lord is urged

a) Proclamation No. 1: "Let them fall by their own counsels."

b) Proclamation No. 2: "Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions."

3. Reasons for this plea for Divine justice to be done:-

a) Stated reason:-

"They have rebelled against You" Psalm 5:10d

b) Unstated reasons:-

i) The wicked seemed to have gotten away once too often.

ii) There was grave danger that evil could become even more widespread.

iii) The wicked had done enough damage already.

iv) Short of Divine justice, the wicked would never cease from doing evil.

BE CAREFUL OF PASSING JUDGMENT!

How do we understand the spirit of the psalmist as he wrote these words? It is admittedly difficult to fully fathom the spirit of the psalmist, but we must be careful not to pass quick judgment on him. We must remember that we are looking at justice in the days of ancient Israel. To ask for Divine justice to be upheld is surely not unwarranted!