I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face. (Psalm 5:7-8)
Messiah taught that the road which leads to life and blessing is straight and narrow. Let’s add to that what seems obvious from other passages, and that is, this straight path is defined by borders — the Word of God. The borders — the Creator’s instructions — serve to provoke us to stay on the designated path lest we become entangled in the thorns and thistles of this world. Thus it is written, “The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway” (Proverbs 15:19); “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his way preserves his soul” (Proverbs 16:17).
Though the wicked care nothing for God’s ways or His House, those who fear Him understand that He, as the Road Builder (as it were), has established the paths of righteousness; only by this road can we come into His House. In His mercy and kindness toward us, He beckons us to come into His Presence that we may worship Him,. Prostrating ourselves in humility and awe, we approach Him — not with fear of punishment or harm as the heathens are inclined to do with their nothing gods. No, because of His tender mercies, we can come before Him blameless because He has forgiven our sins.
As David alludes, our enemies watch us closely to see if we will stumble or if God will abandon us, and so we fervently pray that He will continue to lead us in righteousness that we may not stumble. We pray that He will keep us on the straight and narrow path, and continually remind us of the borders He has established for our good. We pray that He will keep us from becoming entangled in the thorns and thistles, that is to say, the cares of this world that have the potential to choke out our determination to carry out His will and purpose for us. With David we pray, “Make Your way straight before my face.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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