Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Psalm 5
For the worship leader. A song of David accompanied by flutes.[a]
The various psalms reflect nearly every human emotion: unbridled joy, deep-seated jealousy, seething anger, hope, and depression. These are only a few of the emotions behind the poetry we hear expressed in individual psalms. Feelings and emotions are central to what it means to be human. We cannot escape them nor should we. Psalms invites us to take the emotions we feel and bring them before God. This book models how to come before God in times of sadness, brokenness, and joy. Psalm 5 is a cry for help and a plea for guidance by a person who suffered at the hands of an enemy. It talks about the morning as the time to pray and listen for God to answer. Like many laments, it begins with a cry but ends in confidence.
1 Bend Your ear to me and listen to my words, O Eternal One;
hear the deep cry of my heart.
2 Listen to my call for help,
my King, my True God;
to You alone I pray.
3 In the morning, O Eternal One, listen for my voice;
in the day’s first light, I will offer my prayer to You and watch expectantly for Your answer.
4 You’re not a God who smiles at sin;
You cannot abide with evil.
5 The proud wither in Your presence;
You hate all who pervert and destroy what is good.
6 You destroy those with lying lips;
the Eternal detests those who murder and deceive.
7 Yet I, by Your loving grace,
am welcomed into Your house;
I will turn my face toward Your holy place
and fall on my knees in reverence before You.
8 O Eternal One, lead me in the path of Your righteousness
amidst those who wish me harm;
make Your way clear to me.
Elijah and Elisha are not the only prophets demonstrating God’s will in Israel. At all times, but especially during wars, kings seek the advice of prophets and men of God. The messages delivered may not always guarantee God’s favor, but the words are always reliable and true.
20 Meanwhile, Ben-hadad, Aram’s king, gathered his entire army to lay siege to Samaria. He was accompanied by 32 other kings as well as a large group of horses and chariots. He waged war against Samaria. 2 Ben-hadad then instructed his messengers to travel to see Ahab, Israel’s king, inside the city.
Messengers (to Ahab): This is a message from Ben-hadad: 3 “All of your treasures—your silver and your gold—belong to me. Your finest wives and healthiest children belong to me as well.”
Ahab’s Response: 4 It is exactly as you say, my lord and king. My life and everything that belongs to me are in your possession.
5 The messengers came back to Ahab and gave him a new message.
Messengers: This is the reply from Ben-hadad to your submission: “Did I or did I not tell you to give me all your treasures—your silver and gold and your finest wives and healthiest children? None of it belongs to you. It’s all mine. 6 Now I am sending some of my servants to do a search of your house and the houses of your servants. They will be there in about 24 hours, and they will take everything that catches their eyes.”
7 Israel’s king gathered up all the elders of Israel and explained the situation to them.
Ahab: I need your help figuring out what to do. King Ben-hadad is trying to cause problems. He demanded that my finest wives and healthiest children and all my silver and gold become his possession, and I submitted to his wish.
Elders and Israelites: 8 Don’t do what he says. Ignore him.
9 Ahab then gave a new message for the messengers to take back to Ben-hadad.
Ahab’s Message: Tell my lord the king, “Everything you asked at the beginning I will do, but I cannot do this new thing you ask of me; it is too much.”
The messengers left and gave Ahab’s message to Ben-hadad.
Ben-hadad’s Response: 10 I will forfeit my life to the gods (to do whatever they please with me) if I leave even enough of the dirt on the ground of Samaria to support those who serve and follow me.
Ahab: 11 Give Ben-hadad this message: “It is foolish for a man who is putting on armor to brag like a man who has won a battle and is taking off his armor.”
12 When Ben-hadad received this message, he was drinking with other kings in the camp. He gave urgent instructions to his servants: “Get the army ready immediately. I’ve had enough of Ahab.” The army prepared for battle against the city. 13 About this time, a prophet entered into the presence of Ahab, who was Israel’s king.
Prophet: This is the Eternal’s message: “Have you laid eyes upon the great army that has risen up against you? They look like an impossible opponent, but observe what is about to take place. I am going to give you victory over them on this day. Then you will know that I am the Eternal One.”
Ahab: 14 I can’t comprehend how such a victory could occur. Their army is massive. How is this going to happen?
Prophet: This is the Eternal’s message: “The young officers of the provincial leaders will do it for you.”
Ahab: Who is going to begin the fight and lead us into battle?
Prophet: You are.
15 Ahab then gathered up all the young officers of the provincial leaders, and there were 232 in all. Then he gathered together everyone else, including the Israelites. There were 7,000 in all. 16 They set out at noon. While they did this, Ben-hadad was drinking alcohol excessively in the camp with the other 32 kings who served him. 17 The young officers of the provincial leaders approached first. When a patrol of scouts Ben-hadad had sent out came back, they reported to him.
Scouts: Men have traveled here from Samaria.
Ben-hadad: 18 I don’t care whether they come in peace or with motives of war. Take them all as captives, and keep them alive!
19 The young officers of the provincial leaders had left the city with their army following them. 20 They proceeded to crush each man they faced. All the Arameans ran for their lives, and the Israelites went after them. Ben-hadad, Aram’s king, escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen. 21 Israel’s king pursued the Arameans, defeating their horses and chariots, crushing many Arameans.
22 The prophet approached Israel’s king.
Prophet: Go, and keep yourself fit because at the end of the year, Aram’s king is going to come back and wage war against you. Prepare for what is to come.
Worldly wisdom may promise the good life, but it leads to chaos and destruction every time. Ultimately true wisdom comes from God.
4 Where do you think your fighting and endless conflict come from? Don’t you think that they originate in the constant pursuit of gratification that rages inside each of you like an uncontrolled militia? 2 You crave something that you do not possess, so you murder to get it. You desire the things you cannot earn, so you sue others and fight for what you want. You do not have because you have chosen not to ask. 3 And when you do ask, you still do not get what you want because your motives are all wrong—because you continually focus on self-indulgence. 4 You are adulterers. Don’t you know that making friends with this corrupt world order is open aggression toward God? So anyone who aligns with this bogus world system is declaring war against the one true God. 5 Do you think it is empty rhetoric when the Scriptures say, “The spirit that lives in us is addicted to envy and jealousy”?[a] 6 You may think that the situation is hopeless, but God gives us more grace when we turn away from our own interests. That’s why Scripture says,
God opposes the proud,
but He pours out grace on the humble.[b]
7 So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.