“Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight. For there is no truth in their mouth: their heart is vain. Their throat is an open sepulchre: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues: judge them, O God. Let them fall from their devices: according to the multitude of their wickednesses cast them out: for they have provoked thee, O Lord. But let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever, and thou shalt dwell in them. And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee. For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.”
In praying this Psalm, you then ask God to keep you in His justice, which is the way of merciful love to all: “But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that culminate you: that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45). Praying for Him to guide you on this path of abandonment to His love is necessary, for fallen human nature is too weak to love as He does, fulfill His commandments, and trust Him: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak” (Psalm 6:3). No, it is only in knowing that the Father loves you as He does His Son that you can trust Him, and by prayer implore the grace to live this love: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13). Christ’s merits are in you by your state of grace, therefore it is becoming to let the Father lead you by the hand, trusting Him at all times, that His action is entirely out of love for you. The world, the flesh, and the devil all vie against you, but you have a loving Father to protect you: “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength” (Psalm 17:2); “thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up” (Psalm 17:36). Now, these three that attempt to take you away from God are what speak untruth. These speak words of death, rather than words of love: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:69) and would have you think God is less lovingly omnipotent and omnipotently loving than He is. Now, the imprecatory element of the Psalm that follows this has many things to be said about it, but there are two that will be brought up according to love. First, the fallen angels are outside the scope of charity, for their decision is final and they cannot be redeemed. Therefore, Psalms of war are well used against them to defend God’s precious children. Second, the Psalm here implores that those that war against God’s people fail in their devices, and then for the scale of their wickedness to be put far from His face. It is in being brought extremely low that one realizes they need the love of God: “He would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him. And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father’s house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger? I will arise, and will go to my father” (Luke 15:16-18). Here one can interpret that you are not asking for anyone on earth to be thrown permanently from the Lord, but for those that are far from Him to feel His hand, that they may come to turn to Him in their affliction: “Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath. For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me” (Psalm 37:2-3). From the combat element of the Psalm, then turn to rejoice with your brothers and sisters in Christ, praying for their very happiness and eternal joy. Those that love the name of Jesus will possess the object of their love, the true gift of God Himself, rejoicing in the love that fulfills their hearts for all time. “Thou wilt bless the just” both asks and prophecies that God will pour His grace upon those who walk according to His love: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 118:1). Finally, there is a great rejoicing for the graces that have been given to you and the Church, for God has put a crown of love and goodness: “Come from Libanus, my spouse, come from Libanus, come: thou shalt be crowned from the top of Amana, from the top of Sanir and Hermon, from the dens of the lions, from the mountains of the leopards” (Song 4:8). You are the child of a Queen and are crowned as royalty in the heavenly court: “adore ye the Lord in his holy court” (Psalm 95:9). God gives you this crown of His love as a symbol of His good will, that He will always be with you and at your right hand: “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:14). He will take beautiful care of you, if you simply open your hands to hold His. He will not let you be lost, so you need never despair, because He loves you too much to lose you. His good will is always with you, even if you cannot feel it, thus He is your shield and His love and righteousness is your crown.