Psalms 5:4

Psalms 5:4 (KJV): "For thou [art] not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee."

Context of Psalms 5:4

Psalm 5 is a morning prayer of David, a fervent appeal to God for help and justice against his enemies. It is a psalm of lament, where David expresses his distress and seeks divine intervention. In the verses preceding 5:4, David pours out his heart, asking God to listen to his cry and lead him in righteousness. This particular verse serves as a foundational statement, establishing God's character as the basis for David's plea. David appeals to God not despite His holiness, but precisely because of it. He is confident that God, who is inherently righteous, will act against the wicked who oppose David and, by extension, God's ways. The psalm continues with David's urgent plea for divine guidance and protection from his adversaries.

Key Themes and Messages

• God's Absolute Holiness and Purity: This verse profoundly declares God's nature as entirely separate from sin and evil. He is perfectly pure, and there is no room for defilement in His presence.
• God's Displeasure with Wickedness: The phrase "not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness" emphasizes God's active opposition to sin. He does not merely tolerate evil; He abhors it. This is a crucial aspect of His moral character.
• Incompatibility of God and Evil: The statement "neither shall evil dwell with thee" highlights the fundamental incompatibility between God's holy nature and the presence of evil. Light cannot coexist with darkness, and God's presence expels all forms of wickedness. This truth echoes the New Testament declaration that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
• Basis for Divine Justice: Because God is inherently holy and cannot tolerate evil, His righteous judgment against wickedness is inevitable. This verse provides the theological grounding for God's justice in the world.

Linguistic Insights

• The Hebrew word for "pleasure" (חָפֵץ - chaphets) used here implies a deep delight or desire. The verse emphatically states that God has absolutely no such desire or affinity for wickedness.
• The word translated "dwell" (יָגוּר - yagur) means to sojourn, abide, or reside. It suggests that evil cannot even temporarily lodge or find hospitality in God's presence. This emphasizes God's complete and utter separation from all forms of sin and rebellion.

Practical Application

Psalms 5:4 offers profound comfort to those who seek righteousness and a stark warning to those who persist in evil:

• Confidence in Prayer: We can approach God with full assurance, knowing that He is just and holy, and He hears the prayers of the righteous. Our petitions for justice or deliverance from evil are aligned with His very nature.
• Call to Holiness: As followers of a holy God, we are called to reflect His character. Just as He has no pleasure in wickedness, we should strive to distance ourselves from evil and pursue lives of righteousness and purity.
• Assurance of Justice: For those who suffer under the oppression of the wicked, this verse offers hope. God, who cannot tolerate evil, will ultimately act. The consequence of God's holy nature is that sin will ultimately face His righteous wrath.
• Understanding God's Nature: This verse is fundamental to understanding the unchanging character of God. He is not capricious or indifferent to morality; He is inherently good and opposed to all that is evil.