Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
When Do Your Enemies Hurt You?
The book of Psalms is a book of poetic prayers and praises, and they go together. We praise because of Who God is and that is revealed by what God does in response to our prayers. We ask; He hears. We are the servant; He is the Master. We are the child; He is the Father. We are but people, and He is Almighty God.
C.H. Spurgeon said that “prayer is but the voice of men in trouble.” That is something you learn by observation when you read the book of Psalms because that is the context of so many of the psalms. You read of problems, then prayers, and then praises because of answers to those prayers.
As you look at the problems spoken of in the book of Psalms, you can be even more specific. Most of the problems seem to be people. If you are even more specific, most of these people problems seem to be problems with enemies. For instance, Psalm 2:1 says, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” This psalm is about people who rage against God, and therefore, at times, against God’s people.
Psalm 3:1 says, “LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.” Psalm 4:1 says, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness, thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” Psalm 5:1 says, “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.” Psalm 5:8 says, “Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.”
Your enemies only hurt you when they do not push you toward God. If you walk around with anger and anxiety in your heart because of people, that cannot be good, nor can that be the result of dependence upon God. You may say, “I don’t have enemies. I just have people who worry or irritate me.” That will do. David had enemies who were literally seeking his life, but instead of worrying or telling other people about his people problems, David told God. That is exactly where David was pushed when he had enemies. He spoke very candidly about them to God.
Someone says, “I feel terrible talking about my enemies to God.” Don’t you think God already knows your heart? Do you think God is pleased by your independence and your dwelling on anger and bitterness? Don’t you think you would be better off to turn the people who irritate you over to God?
The reason David could sleep at night is because he gave his enemies to God in the day. Psalm 3:4 says, “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me… I laid down and slept… I will not be afraid…salvation belongeth unto the LORD.” Problems are to be turned into prayers, and prayers are to be turned into praises. The catalyst for so many of these prayers and praises are problems that we have with people.