The Throne of Grace

Straightforward Assessment

Why do I pray? Obligation? Routine and ritual? Do I actually believe God will answer? Why do I pray? Mouthing words, am I real with God, am I real with myself? Does God understand that I’m broken, frail, limited, short sighted, desperately needing help? God knows, God sees. I have a problem with honesty, with reality, I need help! Am I doing right? Am I saying the right things? Am I saying the right things? Do I sound stupid for even asking this? Great tension exists in the area of prayer. To relieve the tension I quit praying! I sacrifice God’s help and blessings in my life! And I am okay with this, just so I don’t have to deal with the pressure of prayer! James 4:2 You do not have, because you do not ask. Then I pray “Stupid Prayers.” James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. God does not answer stupid prayers, because God does not do stupid things.

Setting

The saga continues! Psalm 3, written in the morning after God had sustained David through the night, Psalm 3:5. Psalm 4, written that evening, after God’s good hand had seen David through another day, Psalm 4:8. Psalm 5, written the next morning, David knew what was ahead of him, and it drove him to his knees, Psalms 5:7.

Sentence

Preparation is pivotal when it comes to the proper approach in prayer, it makes the difference in being heard, and receiving and answer from God. David, in this genetic prayer, is modeling what right praying looks like. What the proper approach to God is.

Study Outline

I. Prayer must be Compelling, Psalms 5:1-3.

Prayer doesn’t suggest God is in the dark, informing Him of what He is not already aware of. Prayer’s not triggering God to fulfill His divine duties. Prayer is for the sole purpose of arousing me to seek God with all my heart!

David is not suggesting that God is out of touch, disconnected, detached, or distracted, but David is stressing the fact that he needs God, Psalms 5:1-2a. David becomes extremely serious about prayer. David is emotional, passionate, and putting his heart into it.

David doesn’t know how to say it, he just needs God, “groanings,” Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

David can’t even say it, he just needs God, “cry,” means, “to shed tears, shout or scream loudly, pleading.” (Plead, make an emotional appeal; present and argue for.)

God will answer all kinds of prayers, “for to you do I pray.” We often pray using words. I’m distressed, desperately crying out to God for help, words escape us, and we sit, hoping God can make sense of what I’m facing; God hears all kinds of prayers!

David knows his God, and approaches with a holy boldness, Psalms 5:1-2b. David is burdened, bothered, and now he becomes bold! (3 facts David knows about God!)

“O, LORD” God will, He never changes, “I AM” Yahweh or Jehovah, “The Becoming One.”

“My King” God is in control, God is on the throne, when life is spinning out of control!

“My God” God is able! There was nothing too hard for God!

Hebrews 4:16 “16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

To know God is to be powerful in prayer. To be a stranger to God is to pray rarely and weakly! David knew his God!

David shoots straight with God! Direct, to the point, no beating around the bush. David prays simple prayers, undecorated, filled with non-sense, he prays for help! Psalms 5:2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. Burdened, Bothered, Bold, Basic Praying!

David does not turn to God when all other resources have been depleted, Psalms 5:3. God is not an after thought, He becomes David’s first move of every morning. David goes as often as he must, Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

David looks for God to do something in his life! Psalms 5:3 “watch,” means, “keep watch, hope, be on the lookout” Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

II. Prayer must be Calculated, Psalms 5:3-10.

Psalm 5:3 “Prepare,” gives the sense of “arrangement; putting things in order” David gives thought to his prayer, he thinks it out, calculates, premeditates on his words and approach. David becomes methodical in praying. David knows what he is going to say to God!

David must be gripped by a High view of God, Psalms 5:4-6, 9,10.

God holds his people to a higher standard, and they must not become a person God cannot and will not bless, Psalms 5:5-6. 1 Peter 1:15-16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (NASB95).

God hates sin, and will not hear or answer prayer where sin is present, Psalms 5:4. Sin cannot be taken lightly. If God hates sin, I must hate sin or it will kill my prayer life, it will destroy everything in my life! Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Question: How much sin can a person get away with and still go to heaven? We don’t get away with sin! We don’t get away with anything God rejects!

Be transparent! James 5:16 “16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” Accountability is key to healing, growth, and God working in our lives.

David rejects everything God rejects, David must maintain a “Love Hate” relationship; love what God loves, and hate what God hates.

David must be gripped by a Low view of himself, Psalm 5:7-8. Psalm 5:7 But as for me…(NASB95) David understands we all struggle with sin. No one is worthy to approach God or even ask God for anything! Only by God’s grace and mercy can we pray! cf. Luke 18:9-14.

David asks God to put him on the Right Path, Psalm 5:8. The first time David asked for anything, over half the Psalm is spent in preparation. David is actually praying now! “Lead,” means, “to be drawn along; to go in a direction of; turn.” Matthew 6:9,13 Pray like this…and lead me not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

David asks God to put him on the Straight Path, Psalm 5:8. David is praying for God to remove everything in his life that would keep him from living for God! Change my life! This is hard praying! David is not asking for an easy road, but a smooth road! David wants everything out of the way in his life so he can get where he wants to be with God.

David was gripped by the Right view of people, Psalm 5:9-10. Second request of David, imprecatory prayer. David is asking that his enemies come under God’s judgment. David’s anger is not personal, but lies in the fact people are against God! David wants God to move into action against the sinful behavior and banish them. This is right praying if you’re David! This is wrong praying if you are a Christian!

Jesus reframed the attitude when it comes to our enemies. Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Learn to forgive, Matthew 6:14-15 “14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Mark 11:25-26 “25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.””

Learn to love those who are hard to love, John 13:34 “34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Learn to let it go! Ephesians 4:31-32 “31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Prayer is cooperate, God will not talk to you if you refuse to talk to your brother and sisters in Christ! Broken fellowship hinders prayer! Pray for transformation not annihilation!

“It is impossible to truly pray for someone and hate them at the same time” —Kent Hughes

“All of us would be wiser if we would resolve never to put people down, except on our prayer lists.” —D A Carson.

Matthew 5:23–24 ESV

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

1 Peter 3:7 ESV

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

III. Prayer must be made with Certainty, Psalms 5:11-12.

David again turns to the Lord, he is confident and certain as he approaches a God! David’s groaning and crying have now turned to singing, praising, joy, and rejoicing. David concludes:

David rests under the reality that he can turn to God about anything that happens in his life, Psalm 5:11. God will watch over and take care of those who commit everything to Him, 1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

David rally’s behind the reality that God will see him through anything he faces, Psalm 5:12. “Favor,” Hebrews means, “to crush; a piece of pottery broken and used to write a message from one person to the other.” David learned that through the pains and problems of life, God is send a clear message, God hears and answers prayer!