Psalm 3-5

Intro

As we continue our study through the Psalms we are going to look at 3 psalms today that are similar prayer psalms. Psalm’s 3 and 4 are both prayers of David as he fled from his son Absalom who attempted to take the kingdom from him. Psalm 3 is meant to be read or prayed in the morning while Psalm 4 is an evening prayer.

In a similar fashion Psalm 5 which is the Psalm we are going to pay the closest attention today is a prayer of David during what appears to be similar circumstances. David is reeling from an attack of some kind and in desperate need of help from God.

The structure of the Psalm shows the mindset and Pain that David is currently going through.

Outline

In verses 1-3 he is asking to be heard, knowing that he is addressing his King and God, but doing so in a contrite and regular way. Prayer is not out of the ordinary for David.

In verses 4-6 he is acknowledging the works of the Lord and the Lords hatred of the wicked.

In verses 7-8 David makes a case for God helping him because is trying to be righteous.

In verses 9-10 the wicked are not righteous in anything they do and therefore deserve their punishment.

In verses 11-12 David praises God for the refuge He provides to those in need of help.

1st Stanza

David wants God and the reader to know that God is not just some cosmic vending machine to him God is his constant companion. These are not the first words that David has spoken to God in a while they are the regular meditations of his heart and he calls out to God this morning for a specific purpose. I like how theologian Matthew Henry speaks for David, “Observe how David here styles him: O Lord (v. 1, 3), Jehovah, a self-existent, self-sufficient, Being, whom we are bound to adore, and, “my King and my God (v. 2), whom I have avouched for my God, to whom I have sworn allegiance, and under whose protection I have put myself as my King.” David’s relationship with God is front and center and because of that relationship David feels as though he can count on receiving help from God. Also by declaring God to be his King and God David is not demanding his way as a spoiled brat but instead putting himself in the proper position of child or student. The child can appeal to the father but ultimately it is up to the father to make the decision. Yet, David cries out knowing that God is good and just.

Do you feel this way when speaking to God? Do you speak to God as a friend who is also your king? Do you make your time with God regular and meditative?

Our goal in prayer should be to have the kind of relationship with God that we are in constant prayer as 1 Thess. 5:16-18 states, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The first stanza of this prayer stands out from the rest of the prayer because it is an a time of worshiping or hallowing God whereas the other 4 stanzas of the prayer are a progression of Righteousness vs. Wickedness and the punishment of the wicked.

2nd Stanza

In the second stanza we see God being described by David.

As you look through verses 4-6, How does David describe God?

God takes no pleasure in wickedness, and no evil dwells with God. Those who are wicked will not stand before God and God hates those who ways are sinful and those who constantly lie. All in all if you are seeking evil more than good you are on God’s out list.

How do you reconcile “You hate all who do iniquity.” from verse 5 with John 3:16?

3rd Stanza

Here in the third stanza we again turn inward toward David and his own ways. We know that David wasn’t perfect and we know that his mistakes and sin were often glaring and yet through it all David still felt like he could come to God with his problems. The misconception of many today inside and outside of the church is that we have to be perfect or next to perfect in order to receive God’s favor, or we at least need to be able to fake it well enough in order to get others to think that we are the good Christians we claim to be.

David’s first four words of this stanza stand out because he is making the statement that As for Him he will seek the Lord and his mercy. As we just stated though we know that this is not the case for David his entire life. There were times when he failed and fell into horrible sin. The Bathsheba incident for one, Lust, Adultery, Murder, and Cover up.

With that being the case how is it that David can come to God and ask for help?

We don’t go to God because we deserve to be able to but we go to God despite our worthiness. We can’t hide our sins and misdeeds from God we can’t hide all of our failures from Him either therefore when we come to God in prayer asking for help we should acknowledge our failures and sin but because we are God’s children we should also expect that our contrite hearts are music to God’s ears. And our desire not to shrink away but instead find Him in our hour of need makes the mercy that God gives that much sweeter.

Why does David say “In fear of you?”

David has just said that God hates the wicked and those who are evil therefore he is well aware of the fact that God’s hatred brings God’s wrath down on the wicked and the evil. Our wickedness and evilness is no different. We should fear the wrath of God but we can temper that fear with the knowledge that God loves us as His children.

4th Stanza

The 4th stanza and the 2nd stanza are very similar in that they describe the wicked but this one in particular is very pointed and descriptive of the wickedness in the world. You will see the words, “They, Them and Their” used over and over again. The point that David is very good at pointing out is that these are the foes that he wrote about in verse 8.

5th Stanza

When we get here to the last stanza we read that David is ready for the refuge that can only be found in God. This is worship, Refuge, Gladness, Joy, Shelter, Exult, Blessings, Surrounded with Favor. David is declaring the Joy of being in God’s presence and knowing full well that because of that presence he has nothing to fear. I hope that in my own times of struggle and need that I can not just ask for the help but that I will also find myself worshipping God like this.

It can be so difficult to cry out for help at times that we forget in the midst of it all to worship God. We are so caught up in the drama and problem that all we can think about is ourselves. However, what David does here is he moves his perspective from his own desires to the worship of his King and God in whom David finds refuge.

Application Questions

1. What have you learned about prayer from David? For example, how eagerly do you watch for answers to your prayers?

Psalms Applications

2. In what ways are you aware of the leading of the Lord? How can Scripture, prayer and the Holy Spirit’s ministry help you to be alert to that leading?

Pray through the Psalm.