Evangelicia

Alicia's Bible Blog

 

 

Psalm 5:10 "Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against thee."

 

David is speaking of evildoers, the boastful, and those who speak lies Psalm 5:4-6; in short, those who have rebelled against God. He's requesting justice for them. He recognizes their rebellion is an affront to God, and he therefore asks that they fall by their own counsels. That is how God's justice works, isn't it? He doesn't have to do much except let us fall by our own counsels. Allowing us to live in the world our lies and rebellion create is really all the justice that is needed, we quickly learn (as we are now) that such a world is full of misery, distrust, deceit, violence, and hatred. It's not a great place to be!

 

However, David did not have the benefit of Jesus' teachings, Passion, and death. Had he, I don't think he'd be praying for his enemies to be cast out, but rather to be brought in. Jesus' suffering and death was meant to reconcile all things to God. Every sinner has a place in His Mystical Body that can only be filled by that person. Jesus pleads with the Father to accept His suffering on that sinner's behalf, and the Father will, as long as the sinner repents at some point.

 

So when we pray for our enemies, the rebels, we are not to ask for them to be cast out (a result they can choose, but that God does not want), but rather that they repent and are welcomed into His Kingdom. We pray to quash the rebellion and save the rebels, the very things Christ suffered and died to do.