Psalm 5 Morning Prayers

Psalm 5

¹ Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.
² Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
³ In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.

⁴ You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
⁵ The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
⁶ You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the LORD abhors.

⁷ But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.

In the morning I lay my requests before you.  How many times when I have missed talking with God and rushed through the day without praying, have I found that the day just seems to get more and more frustrating.  I don’t know if it is that it causes more things throughout the day to be bad (multiple situations arise which bring bad news) or if it’s just that without that early morning prayer, I’m not prepared to hear bad news.  Either way I know that almost every time I miss pray in the morning the day often goes sour.   I know this.  Still there are times when I just neglect prayer. 

God is righteous and merciful.    There is both justice and love in God.   How.  God’s righteousness detests sin.  And wickedness cannot even stand in the presence of God.   But if that’s so how could I even approach God in prayer?   Only by your great mercy can be come into God’s house.   And be led.  This is most clearly seen in the cross.  God righteousness and justice requires that sin be destroyed… but instead of destroying the sinner … God pays the penalty through His own Son.  

Mercy comes because the requirements of judgment and righteousness were met already in Jesus.  Therefore may you and I approach his house to converse with the Holy One every morning, leaning on God’s mercy which is new every morning. 

Questions to consider
Have you taken the time each morning to talk with God and lay your requests before him?
If so, what keeps you from doing so?

Do you know God as both righteous and merciful? 

If so how does this affect your prayer life?  

(For further study read the rest of Psalm 5 )

 9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
¹⁰ Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
¹² For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.