Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies –
make your way straight before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

PSALM 5:8-10

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With Valentine’s Day just passed, it seems fitting to confess that I’m a hopeless romantic. Switch on the BBC’s iconic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and I’m in my happy place – in fact, for any future romantic interests of mine who may read this, it’s a top-tier date idea. You can thank me down the line.

It’s easy to get caught up in the lavish costumes and beautiful architecture of this iconic romance. But before long, you realise ulterior motives and deceptive lies have damaged relationships throughout history. So, what does God – who is himself love – say about these destructive behaviours?

In this psalm, David cries out to God for deliverance from his enemies – not foreign superpowers but those in his inner circles who’d likely supported the coup orchestrated by his son, Absalom. It’s a stark reminder that, for some of us, the greatest opposition we’ll face is from those we have relationships with – potentially even those we’re in a relationship with.

What’s more, the hurtful jibes and empty promises spouted by the enemies in this passage aren’t slips of the tongue. Rather, they’re a deep-rooted expression of their sinful natures. As Jesus put it, ‘from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks’ (Luke 6:45).

By nature, our hearts are also ‘filled with malice’, opposed to the shalom-seeking, compassionate, and just desires of Jesus. Without his redeeming work, we, too, have the potential to contribute to these destructive relational patterns. But for those who trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection, there’s hope. By the power of his Spirit, we can fill our hearts with his truth, choose to fix our eyes on his beauty, and have pure motivations that spill over into life-giving actions, reactions, and interactions.

Perhaps you’ve suffered the effects of cheating or duplicity in a relationship. You started chatting with someone on a Christian dating app and, for the first few weeks, everything seems rosy. But before long, you realise they’re just after casual sex. Or you’d been dating someone for several months, but your relationship comes crashing down when you see a picture of them kissing your best friend on Instagram.

Take heart, because these individuals are accountable to God. As the psalmist identifies, their rebellion is ultimately against him. When people deceive others for personal gain, our all-knowing God is not taken in. Rather, he sees falsehood for what it is. Apart from seeking forgiveness, they risk losing relationship with God himself. A sobering word, but one we all must hear.

Sophie Sanders
Marketing & Communications Lead

How will you fill your heart with Jesus’ truth and beauty this week?