New: 20 May 2025
The Joy of
God's Presece
Psalm 5
But let all those rejoice who put
their trust in You;
Let them every shout for joy,
because You defended them;
Let those also who love Your name
be joyful in You.
Psalm 5:11 NKJV
The Power of Joy
There is strength in being joyful, happy and positive. It energises our mind and emotions. 'The joy of the Lord is our strength,' said Nehemiah in a time of rebuilding what had been destroyed and forsaken (Nehemiah 8:10). There is power in joy—and we need it! Life has many set-backs and disappoints that weigh us down. Sadness robs us of motivation and physical strength. The psalmist David found the power of joy in God—and so should we! Nehemiah found the strength in God to rebuild corporate life—and so should we!
Praying to God in the Morning
The psalmist prayed to Yahweh who was his King and God (Psalm 5:1-2). His humility before God made the Almighty lend His ear to David. First thing in the morning: prayer to God! He would pray to God 'in the morning' and 'look up' (v 3). It is vital how you start your day. A slow or chaotic start to a day (or a project, or a race) can have negative consequences on the rest of the day. In a sprint, you want to be 'fast off the blocks,' as they say. It's true though, successful sprinters were not always the fastest at the start, but the first over the finish line. So it matters how you start and how you finish. You can make up for lost time, but it is better to be strong and focused from start to finish!
Jesus took time to pray to God early in the morning (Mark 1:35) although He had been ministering to multitudes of people until late (vv 32-34). Jesus didn't compromise His time alone with His Father. He made it His priority. We need that place of peace and renewal in God's presence. The psalmist would seek God earnestly and early (Psalm 63:1). It is important to gain strength and focus as we set out to enter a world of challenges and problems. With a positive mindset and strength in our hearts, we can tackled the difficulties of the day and provide solutions to the problems that come our way. Start your day with prayer to gain strength and joy from God's presence.
It is also important to start your day with the right focus. The psalmist would 'look up' to God (Psalm 5:3). As we look at the world and all its evil and suffering, we can get despondent and despair. It is discouraging, especially when we feel hopeless to change anything for the better. But as we 'look up' to God, strength will be our portion (cf., Psalm 121; see E16). As we focus on God above, we can tackle the challenges in the world below (cf. Psalm 73; see E18).
God doesn't take pleasure in wickedness or evil (Psalm 5:4), yet such are part of our environment. 'Wickedness proceeds from the wicked' (1 Samuel 24:13) and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Yet we know that the One in us is greater than the one in the world (1 John 4:4). The boastful will not stand in God's presence; the workers of iniquity won't succeed; and those who speak lies and spread falsehood will be brought to justice (Psalm 5:5-6). God remains righteous and powerful although wickedness is spreading through wicked people.
But as for me, I will come into
Your house in the multitude
of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship
toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O LORD, in Your
righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
Psalm 5:7-8 NKJV
Joy and Responsibility
There is joy in the presence of the Lord. At the same time, we must be responsible for our walk with God. His joy empower us to live in responsibility. Despite the wicked, arrogant, and liars around us, we must make up our mind that we will seek the Lord and worship Him in reverence (Psalm 5:7). We shall not take part in the works of darkness, but be children of light who seek what is pleasing to God (cf., Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-10). We are to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked generation by holding fast the word of life (Philippians 2:14-16). The psalmist prayed that God would lead him in His righteousness, especially because of his enemies (Psalm 5:8a). We must be wise when we are surrounded by those who seek us harm, yet always keep a pure heart (cf., Matthew 10:16). The psalmist was dedicated to walk in the ways of the Lord and prayed that God would make His way straight before him (v 8b). It is important that we seek the joy of the Lord as our strength and take up responsibility to live in righteousness. As we first seek His Kingdom and righteousness, all good things will come to us (Matthew 6:33; see Q4).
Despite the unfaithfulness of many (Psalm 5:9a), we are to remain faithful. As we seek to live responsible lives before God, we cannot be carried away by the corruption and immorality in the world. There are people who bring destruction to others, even death, while they speak flattering words with their tongues (Psalm 5:9), yet God will hold them accountable as they will reap what they have sown in their rebellion against God (v 10). Sadly, the naive and foolish will fall for the deceit and falsehood of the wicked, yet God will guard us as we walk in His righteousness and stay faithful to His word. We will stand in the midst of the storms of life as wise people who build our lives on the solid foundation of obedience to God's Word (see Matthew 7:24-27).
We can rejoice in God and place our trust in the One who never fails us! God will defend those who love His Name, bless those who live righteously and surround with His favour as a shield those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 5:11-12). The joy of trusting God is both a strength and a defence. Taking up responsibility in righteous living will bring blessing! Stay faithful to God for He is faithful to you.