Psalm 5 - 11.7.23
Scripture: Psalm 5:1 – 3
Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament.
Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Observation
God is so amazing! Just this last week, in preparation for this journal, I was reminded by the Lord to seek him in the morning. Lately I’ve been convicted and encouraged to seek first the Lord. My thoughts went to “I must do it first thing in the morning!” God then shows me why in Psalm 5.
This Psalm begins with David’s prayer to “consider my lament.” Another word for lament is wailing or to cry out in great grief. He pleads with the Lord “Hear my cry for help.” David had a lot to pray about during this time. He was a great and mighty King but his own son, Absalom, was trying to kill him. Absalom wanted to overthrow his father’s throne. Can you imagine the betrayal and utter heartache David felt? I can see why he was lamenting and crying out before the Lord.
Application
David sees the importance to begin his day in prayer because he knows “you hear my voice.” It’s also a time to “lay our requests before you.” When we pray, we can take comfort to know He hears our voice, also that we can lay our requests before the throne – to a God that loves and cares for you. What a great comfort to know the God of heaven hears our voice when we pray!
The end of verse 3 includes a key component to his prayer: the action of waiting “expectantly.” The definition of “expectant” in Meriam-Webster Dictionary is “one who is looking forward to something” like expecting the birth of a child. David’s outlook is focused on the exciting results of the prayer not his current circumstances. He knows God is faithful. In waiting expectantly, he knows God will provide an answer. Sometimes the prayers are not answered exactly how we’re thinking but God’s ways are always perfect. He is God! When we pray, we can be excited and expectant for what God will do!
Prayer
Lord, thank you for listening to my prayers. Help me seek you first every morning. Seeking you first is my heart’s desire. Forgive me when I let the world’s busyness get in the way of spending time with you. I will wait expectantly and excitedly for how you will answer my prayers because you’re a loving and good God who cares.
In conclusion, there’s a great worship song based on Psalm 5. It was originally sung by Maranatha Music in the early 1970s and then a short time later Love Song / Chuck Girard. Take a listen and worship the Lord through Psalm 5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBZGtokHzKQ
- Mary Oberg
