Song of the Week 08.11.08 - Psalm 5

This week was challenging for me. I have to admit that I must have started two or three songs before I eventually decided to stick with this one. It all started out when I began to read through the book of psalms. I had a strong feeling that I was supposed to read through the book very intentionally and not just rush through it like I sometimes have a tendency to do.
One of the things that intrigued me very quickly after I started reading was that the writer knew God in a very different way then I did. He was not in the least bit ashamed of the fact that God hated Evil. I decided to try and put one of the psalms to music and as I did a started to get very uncomfortable. There were a lot of phrases that I had a hard time singing. Phrases like, "You destroy all who tell lies" Psalm 5:6a., or " the arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong."Psalm 5:5
As I finished the song I was pretty unimpressed. I decided to show it to Lauren to get a second opinion and I was surprised with what I herd. After I finished the song she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, THAT IS TRUE ABOUT GOD.
I don't hate evil like God does. God hated evil enough to do something about it. In the middle of Psalm 5 the writer says, "but I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence i bow down toward your holy temple." The writer knew the intensity of Gods love because he saw the reality of his hatred. It gives me chills to think about the punishment that Christ received. He took upon himself the evil that God hated so much. When Christ prayed in the Garden he must have really new what he was up against.
Luke 22:42-44
"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.