Ever Sing, For Joy.

Today’s Bible reading is Psalm 5.

“Evil may not dwell with you” (Psa 5:4). God’s written revelation to mankind contains such good news of salvation, reconciliation, and even dwelling in the house of the LORD forever. But certain ugly things cannot, will not dwell with him. “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.” The boastful, evildoers, bloodthirsty, and deceitful (5:4-6) are “cast out” because of “the abundance of their transgressions” (5:9-10). Evil cannot be at home with a righteous God.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield. (Psa 5:11-12)

Refuge. Protection. Blessing. Cover. Favor. Look at what the LORD is willing to do and be for those who love his name. It’s important to notice that walking the path of righteousness does not exempt you from “groaning” at times, but even in the groaning, the righteous know where to turn. “Give ear to my words, O LORD” (5:1). Tears are shed along the path of righteousness, but they do not fall in isolation.

Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. (5:2-3)

Along the way, we encounter people with zero interest in dwelling with the good Father–men and women in his mouth is no truth, whose inmost self is full of destruction because they have rebelled against the Author of life (5:9-10).

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you. (5:7)

And what do the humbly desperate experience as they walk “through the abundance” of God’s steadfast love? Protection. Blessing. Cover. Favor.

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy… (Psa 5:11)

Groaning at times, yet rejoicing. Crying at times, yet ever singing. Not because circumstances are perfect, or we’re consistently being treated the way we would like, or the world is at peace, or life has turned out the way we planned, but because our King blesses the righteous and covers them with favor, as with a shield.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. (Phil 4:4-5)

And so we ever sing. For joy.