Psalm 5 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Psalm 5 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

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King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

"The foolish shall not stand in thy sight."
But foolishness is highly recommended by Paul in the New Testament.
Is it good to be foolish?
(5:5-6) Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them.
Christians often say that one should love the sinner but hate the sin. Perhaps, but God hates sinners. This verse, by the way, is used to justify the Rev. Fred Phelps' slogan that "God hates fags." His logic is impeccable if one accepts the Bible. God hates sinners (Ps.5:5). Homosexuality is a sin (Lev.18:22, Lev.20:13). Therefore God hates homosexuals -- or fags, as Rev. Phelps indelicately puts it.
Does God love everyone?
Who does God hate?
When comparing two verses, it helps if the same words on those verses have the same meaning. In this case that is not true. The word foolish in this verse means wicked and ungodly men. In this verse they are called worked of iniquity. Does Paul really say in 1 Cor. 4:10 that we should become like that? Of course not. He uses the word fools, because they who believed in Christ were spectacles unto the world, 1 Cor. 4:10. So Paul says: if we then are called fools, let us be fools if what we do is called foolish. So no, it is not good to be foolish in the sense of this psalm, but good to be foolish in the sense spoken of by the apostle Paul.
On if God loves everyone, no, see John 3:16. God hates sins so much that it must receive its reward: punishment. But God also loves this world so much that he gave his only begotten son. Salvation is available for everyone who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
On Rev. Fred Phelps: Christian isn't a trademarked term, anyone can use it, but we can judge the tree by its fruit, Matthew 7:16.

6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

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