Calvary Road Baptist Church
“PRAYER
TO GOD BASED ON THE HATRED OF GOD”
Psalm 5.5b
For
those of you who are visiting with us today, some comments are in order so that
you will clearly understand the context from which I bring this morning’s
exposition and sermon to the lost. I generally advocate the dispensational
approach to understanding the Bible. That is, I believe it is important to
recognize that God has dealt with different people in different ways at
different times in history.
However, a problem that surfaces among some dispensationalists is the tendency to compartmentalize their thinking about the nature and personality of God. It is felt by some dispensationalists, whether they consciously recognize it or not, that God’s attitude toward sin and sinners is not the same now as it was in times past. They have allowed themselves to slip into believing that as God’s economies have changed (For example: lambs are no longer sacrificed morning and evening), so have His attitudes and postures altered. Friends, the tendency to fall into that dangerous error must to be resisted.
God,
when His nature is rightly understood, is recognized from His Word to be
immutable. That is, He is unchangeable. Indeed, in Malachi 3.6 He declares, “I am
the LORD, I change not.” While God’s
dealings with
These things said, and with the hope that you folks recognize the unchangeable nature of God, even though His dealings with people through the ages have changed, I ask that you turn to Psalm 5. When you locate the fifth Psalm, please stand for the reading of God’s Word. We read beginning with verse 1:
1 Give ear
to my words, O LORD, consider my
meditation.
2 Hearken
unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3 My voice
shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in
the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4 For thou art
not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt
destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD
will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
With the exception of our Jewish friends who are present, you and I are not Jewish people, and it has not been given to us by God to live under the authority of and within the confines of the Law of Moses, as did David and the people of His day. However, that does not mean scripture given by God to David during that era does not have compelling truth we are responsible to know and abide by today. As we look at these seven verses, we will seek to recognize what specifically applies to Jewish people living under the Law of Moses, and what has universal application to God’s people of all ages, and to people living in the year 2009.
This psalm of David has two parts. We have read the first part, and I will confine my remarks to the first part of the psalm. The first part of the psalm, in which David pleads with God to answer his prayer, is itself naturally divided into five parts:
First, THERE IS
DAVID’S DESCRIPTION OF PRAYING
Verse 1: “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.”
David addresses his plea to the LORD, the God of Israel, the one true and living God. Notice, however, that David’s plea is actually two requests, which shows us that he was actually praying to God in two different ways.
First, he writes, “give ear to my words.” This is David’s appeal to God to listen to the words he utters heavenward in prayer. He wants God to listen to him as he prays audibly. However, he also writes, “consider my meditation.” Folks, mediations are not vocalized. Meditations are thoughts that are not expressed. David recognized that when praying to God there are times when that which is on your heart is not always expressed by words. Sometimes language fails.
Thank
God, Paul has told us that when words fail us in prayer the Spirit of God
intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Romans 8.26. So, if
you are not a particularly verbose prayer warrior, if you think yourself to be
inarticulate, not to worry. Even the sweet psalmist of
Next, THERE IS
DAVID’S DIRECTION IN PRAYING
Verse 2: “Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my king, and my god: for unto thee will I pray.”
There
are times, beloved, when you cannot pray by speaking to God or by meditating,
but only by crying out. Can a dad pray all of his prayers to God for the
salvation of his child with well-formed words and well-structured thoughts? Can
he always sit still to meditate? I think not. Methinks there are times when
only the brokenhearted cries of a father for his son or daughter will do.
Moreover, what kind of father would not so cry out to God for his child? Come
and pray with us Friday
However, that is not all. Notice the direction of David’s prayers. He is not content to offer up some imprecise prayer to some abstract being in outer space. Not at all. David knows exactly whom he is praying to, and he will pray to no other. He is praying to his king! He is praying to his God! Not the king or the God, but “my king, and my God . . . unto thee will I pray.” With David, prayer to his God is a properly personal matter.
Third, THERE IS
DAVID’S DETERMINATION IN PRAYING
Verse 3: “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Spurgeon rightly observed that David here is not so much praying with this statement, asking, as he is making a resolution. He is going to pray. He has decided that he will be a prayer warrior, in the morning. He will meet with God and then take on the day.
Next, notice something very important about David’s determination in praying. I call your attention to the word “direct.” This word “direct” is the same Hebrew word that is used to describe the proper arranging of the wood of a sacrifice, and the proper arranging of the offering on top of the wood, to be consumed by sacrificial fire.[1] David is here declaring that his prayers will not be an afterthought. Instead, his prayers will be thought out, will be planned, will be structured, and will then be appropriately offered up to God before he faces the world.
Then, he will look up. Why look up? That is from where the answers come. I wonder, sometimes, if more prayers would be answered if two things were done: First, if prayers were properly “directed,” which is to say properly arranged and then offered up to God. Second, if the person who prays actually begins to look for God’s answer as soon as he is finished praying. Remember when the saints prayed for Peter’s release from prison, and then refused to believe Rhoda when she ran from the gate where Peter stood to tell them still in their prayer meeting that their prayer had already been answered?[2] Terrible.
Fourth, THERE IS
DAVID’S RECOGNITION IN PRAYING
Verses 4-6: 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
If you will accept my assertion that David’s prayer is laid out on the sure foundation of God’s holiness, a look at each of his arguments will be more clearly understood. Here is how divine holiness behaves.
First, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness.” No matter how sophisticated or charming wickedness may present itself, God takes no pleasure in it. Regardless of how popular it may be in current society, or how gorgeously attired it may be, or how much fun it is, God takes no pleasure in it, not in David’s day and not now.
Next, “neither shall evil dwell with thee.” Why will God not allow evil to dwell with Him? Because He hates evil. If you loved God, you would hate evil, too. Psalm 97.10 commands, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil.” Evil is what God’s Word defines it to be. Amen? Laziness is evil. Lying is evil. Rejecting Jesus is evil. Grieving the Holy Spirit is evil.
Third, “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight.” This word “foolish” translates a word meaning boastful. There is a certain kind of fool who boasts and brags. But not in God’s sight. Not before God’s eyes. There will come a day when such a fool will be dragged out of death and Hell and will be made to stand before God. On that great Judgment Day such a one as this will not stand, but will fall down before God trembling. Where will be the bravado then? Where will be the boasting then?
Fourth, “thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” Not only does God hate evil, He hates those who do evil. And this is not a little dislike. God has a thorough hatred for those who work iniquity, who choose to ignore God in their dealings and in their decisions. No wonder Jesus said about such people, in Matthew 7.21-23,
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Next, “thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing.” “Leasing” is an old word for lying.[3] David understood that God would destroy those who lie. And what is lying, ultimately? First John 2.22 gives us some insight: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?” A liar is a sinner who does not get saved. Jesus told us in John 8.44 that Satan is a liar. No wonder the fate that awaits the liar is the same fate that awaits the devil, Revelation 21.8: “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Finally, David recognizes, “the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” What a strong word is this word “abhor.” How hot is God’s wrath against the bloody man and the deceitful man. I think of the one who deceives others into thinking he is a Christian when he is not saved. In addition, what about the person who deceives himself into thinking he does not need Christ, or does not need Him now? God abhors such a person. Are you deceitful? Do you mislead others? You deceive yourself if you think you will not suffer endless torment for your sins.
Verses 4-6, then, express, in practical terms, what the holiness of God actually means. These expressions reveal how God’s holiness is demonstrated toward sin, and toward sinners. Do not think, then, that you can approach God in prayer without being willing, as David was willing, to side with God and against wrongdoers, to acknowledge the rightness and the propriety of God’s holy hatred, God’s abhorrence, and God’s wrath poured out on such as these. For while God’s economy has indeed changed since David’s time, God’s nature, God’s holiness, remains the same.
Finally, THERE IS DAVID’S
APPRECIATION IN PRAYING
Verse 7: “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.”
But
for God’s mercy, David would be described in verses 4-6, instead of describing
others. But for God’s mercy, he would be a recipient of God’s wrath instead of
a beneficiary of God’s grace. As well, it is owing to God’s mercy that David
fears Him, since the fear of the Lord is something God graciously bestows on
not all men, but only on some. And worship toward Thy holy temple? This is the
portion of our passage that does not directly speak to us today, but which we
apply to our situation. David apparently refers to the Tabernacle here, since
the
Let me conclude this exposition by pointing out that David’s entire prayer is based upon one great reality, the reality that God is a God of hatred. Holy hatred to be sure, but hatred still. Does this horrify you? Does this surprise you? Do not be so naive as to think that I deny that God is love, for He most certainly is love. However, One Who is holy must hate with a holy hatred just as surely as He loves with a holy love, and David’s psalm certainly shows this to be true.
The issue before you, then, as you contemplate David’s prayer, is not whether or not God hates, for He certainly hates, as well as abhors, but whether what He hates is what you do, and whether the kind of person He hates is the kind of person you are. Ask yourself, “Does God hate what I do? Does God hate me?” He does hate some, you know.
SERMON:
My text for this morning is but a portion of David’s prayer of Psalm 5.5: “thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” I must warn you that this will be a hard sermon, a stern message from the Bible.
It gives me no pleasure to bring this message from God’s Word. However, I am called to be a faithful watchman, with a holy obligation to warn you.
Allow me to draw from these few words a brief message for those of you who are unsaved. Please make a special effort to look at me and attend to my words as I preach. Parents? Help your kids by fastening your eyes on me as an example for them to follow.
First, GOD IS
Play with metaphysical conjecturing all you want. Quibble about proofs and reasonings until the day you die. Distract yourself with bitterness and contention to your wicked heart’s content. Fool yourself into believing that all there is is what you can see and what you can understand. Do whatever your twisted logic can conjure up to convince yourself and to trick yourself and to deceive yourself into thinking God will be persuaded by your various issues. Just understand this, first: God is.
You who would demand proof need to understand something. You are in no position to demand anything of the one true and living God. He is the one Who does the demanding. He is not accountable in your court, but you are accountable in His. Never has He and never will He accede to anyone’s demand that He prove His existence. In His Word, the Bible, He offers no proof of Himself. Rather, it simply declares, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” A statement of fact upon which all else depends.
As well, when Moses was dispatched by God to deliver the Jewish people from bondage, and he asked God what he should say when he was asked who sent him, he was told, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” To paraphrase, “If anyone asks who sent you, Moses, you just tell them that the One Who Is sent you.”
Listen to the biologists all you want. Play mind games all you want. Comfort yourself with the speculations of philosophers as much as you can. Just understand this: God is. Whether you like it or not, God is. Whether you will acknowledge Him or not, God is. As Hebrews 4.13 points out, He is the One with whom you have to do.
Second, GOD HATES
What a pitiful thing it is that contemporary Christianity is so anemic as to deny this aspect of God’s nature. I well remember when I was in Bible college, teachers declaring to me that God does not hate anyone. “He hates sin, but loves the sinner,” they told me again and again and again.
However, God most certainly does hate. We are told in Malachi and Romans that God hated Esau.[4] “Yes, but that was after Esau died.” However, in the same passage it says “Jacob have I loved.” Did God wait until Jacob died to love him? Absurd. Hebrews 12.16-17 tells us what God found so offensive about Esau. He was a profane person, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Then afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected because he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. God hated Esau because of what Esau did. He refused to turn from his sins and only pretended to tearfully repent so he could inherit the blessing of his father.
However, Esau is not the only one God hates. You say, “My God doesn’t hate.” I say, “Your God isn’t the true God, the God of the Bible, if He doesn’t hate.” Consider Proverbs 6.16-19, where Solomon declares that God hates the one who sows “discord among brethren.” There you have it. God hates men. As David prayed, “thou hatest.” Have you ever considered that God hates? If you have never before this moment considered that God hates, your calculations need to be tossed out the window. All your considerations and conclusions need to be revised if you have never before wrapped your mind around the nature of God to hate.
GOD IS. GOD HATES.
BUT, DOES GOD HATE YOU?
He does not hate you if you are converted. If you have come to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you have been born again by the Spirit of God, then you are God’s child and He loves you with a father’s love. If you are truly converted, then you stand holy and without blame before God in love, Ephesians 1.4. However, if you are not converted, if you are not saved, you may be one of those who God hates. You may be one of those workers of iniquity that David said God hated. So, how are you to know whether God hates you or not? By examining those we know God does hate to find out if you are like them.
First,
there is Esau. Two things about Esau are very prominent: First, he was a
profane person, Hebrews 12.6, who sold his birthright for a bite of food. Imagine
that! Selling his right to inherit blessings from the man God made a promise to
for one lousy meal. That displays his profanity, since being a profane person
is just such a fellow who places no value on spiritual blessings. Do you value
spiritual things? Let me put it this way: Do you embrace the faith of your
father by loving his Lord and serving his God? Hey, perhaps you are becoming
more profane, like Esau, than you would like to admit. Kim Il-sung, after all,
the founder of communist
Then there is the person who sows discord among brethren. Proverbs 6.19 is a verse that is applied most frequently by preachers to trouble makers in church. While it is certainly true that God does hate church trouble makers who sow discord and disrupt harmony and tranquility in a congregation, that is too narrow a focus. Notice that this verse actually speaks of sowing discord among brethren. That is also stirring up trouble in a family unit, or perhaps a clan. Do you sow discord? Do you enjoy causing problems? Do you like to stir the pot by telling people things they really should not hear? If you do, God hates you. Do you hear me? He hates you, according to Proverbs 6.19.
We conclude back at our text, Psalm 5.5b: “thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” What is a worker of iniquity? Are you a worker of iniquity? This word “iniquity” refers to that which is vain, which has no eternal value. This is a person who gives himself over to the pursuit of that which is here and now, and who ignores the spiritual and the eternal. Are you a worker of iniquity? You are if you are more concerned with playing sports than getting saved, if you are more concerned with getting ahead at work than getting saved, if you are more concerned with flirting with the boys than getting saved, if you are more concerned with video games or watching television than getting saved. In other words, if you have decided to focus your life on yourself, or on the things of this earth rather than God, you may already be one of those people God hates.
My friend, I am not quite sure I have impressed upon you the urgency of your situation. If you are a worker of iniquity, God hates you. Psalm 5.5 makes that statement clearly. David’s prayer was based, in part, on this aspect of God’s holiness. God hates people, individuals, who work iniquity. He may hate you.
Jesus declared something else about those who work iniquity. In Luke 13.27-28, Jesus tells us that those who work iniquity will suffer eternal damnation in the lake of fire. So, what does God do to those He hates? He casts them into Hell.
You are here this morning and you think that a worker of iniquity is someone who commits sins that you think are terrible. You just cannot imagine that God might very well hate you. I am telling you that God may very well hate some of you who are here today, because He certainly does hate some. If you turn your back on the gospel and despise it as something unimportant, how are you different from Esau, the man God hated? If you act miserable and pretend to be sorry for your sins when you are actually frustrated for not getting what you want from God, how are you different from Esau, the man God hated? If you make sure gossip is spread around, or you make sure this person hears what that person said about him, because you like to see the pot stirred, because you like to see people fussing with each other, how are you not one who sows discord among brethren? How can you not be one of those hated by God?
Finally, those of you who value skateboards and bicycles more than Jesus Christ, who pay more attention to the Los Angeles Lakers than you do to the Lord Jesus Christ, who would rather sit at home on Sunday night in a recliner than gather with the saints to worship God, who are too self-centered about your leisure time to spend Saturday night trying to get people into the house of God, how are you not running the risk of becoming a worker of iniquity? How are you not a person who slides toward a devotion to that which is vain, that which is not eternal, that which is not spiritual, as profane Esau?
Oh, I greatly fear that some of you have been lulled into lethargy by not knowing that God hates some. “Pastor, what you are saying is very hard.” Yes, it is hard. However, it is also true, which is why you need to get serious about coming to Christ.
[1] Francis Brown, S. R. Driver & Charles A. Briggs, The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew And English Lexicon, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1979), page 789.
[2] Acts 12.5-16
[3] John Joseph Owens, Analytical Key to the Old Testament, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), page 264.
Would you like to contact Dr. Waldrip about this sermon? Please contact him by clicking on the link below. Please do not change the subject within your email message. Thank you.
Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church