Psalm 5 - A Morning Psalm

Introduction

Illustration: Job’s situation

Sometimes it is just hard to rejoice. We have all been in situations where it is hard to rejoice while we are hurting or going through troubles. For this reason, the psalms are often a source of comfort and guidance among believers. We find it easier to worship when things are going well then when times are strained. Psalm 3-5 were written during King David’s absence from Jerusalem because he is fleeing from his son Absalom.

Absalom is King David’s third son and is described as handsome, charming, and famously having long hair. But he desired the throne of David and despised his father. Absalom charmed and deceived and turned hearts pf the men of Israel, and he eventually led a revolt forcing his father, King David, to run for his life into the wilderness of Gath. Absalom was wicked morally and did evil with his father’s wives in front of the entire nation. You can read about this story in 2 Samuel 14-19.

· Psalm 3: Heading indicates King David’s fleeing and David is marginalized, vs. 5-6.

I lay down and slept;

I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.

I will not be afraid of many thousands of people

who have set themselves against me all around.

· Psalm 4: Probably written in the next evening, vs. 8.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;

for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

· In this psalm, David pleads with the men of Israel to not listen to the lies of his son, vs. 2.

O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame?

How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?

· Psalm 5: Probably written the next day at the start of the day, vs. 3.

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;

in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

Propositional statement: The righteous can rejoice because God is a God who listens, leads, and judges righteously.

Working through the text

Psalm 5 is a psalm of prayer. Through this intensely difficult time of David’s life, he prays to God asking him three things which we can also ask of God. David asks God to listen, to lead, and to judge righteously.

I. David asks God to listen, vs. 1-7

King David asks God to listen because he wants to talk about three things: the situation, the sinners, the sanctuary

A. The Situation, vs. 1-4.

It appears that God is allowing evildoers to prosper. David knows that the boastful have no place before God. On top of that, David has been forced to become a foreigner in his own kingdom. He is now a fugitive, again.

In his situation, David brings out some truths about who God is:

1. God listens to our prayers, vs. 1-3.

1 Give ear (literally “to broaden” but your hand behind your ears to hear me well)

to my words, O Lord; (Yaweh)

consider my groaning. (“my groaning” has the idea of mediation. Carries the idea of burning/aching thoughts of the soul/inmost part). This word for “groaning” is only found here and in Psalm 39:3. (My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned)

2 Give attention, (Hearken/pay attention: the idea of a dog lifting its ears to a noise human can’t hear)

to the sound of my cry, (this is a burdening cry, this comes from the mediation of the heart),

my King and my God, (Submission is stated and God as the creator is implied, even though there is some bold language- pray most not be done flippantly or irreverent manner)

for to you do I pray. (“I will direct my prayers unto Thee.”

3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; (Immediate assurance that God listens)

in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you (There is fervency in David’s requests,

and watch. no laziness. Prayer takes work.)

2. God is holy, vs. 4

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; (Lawlessness) evil may not dwell with you. (Have no presence with God)

King David wants to talk to God about three things: the situation

B. The sinners, vs. 5-6.

We can see that this section can easily be refereeing to Absalom and his followers. These people are described as boastful/foolish, liars, bloodthirsty, and deceitful.

But David can clearly see and warns that such people have:

1. No footing, vs. 5.

5 The boastful/foolish shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

Though Absalom has usurped the throne and appeared to be the stable one, the throne that he had usurped, was stewarded by David, but belonged to God, and Absalom had neither the right, the character, or the competence. Ultimately, the righteous in God are the ones with a sure footing.

2. No future, vs. 6.

6 You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors/hates the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Absalom had already killed his brother, deceived, and flattered many men in Israel, he desired to kill his father and family.

King David wants to talk to God about three things: the situation, the sinners,

C. The sanctuary, vs. 7.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.

In contrast to the sinner, the David desires to be with God and His people. But because of the situation and the sinners, he was cut off from being in the physical sanctuary of God and with God’s people. He longs for this and cries to God’s steadfast love to allow his entrance into the temple. Notice the difference between the sinner and the righteous: the unrighteous seeks his own with no concern of God, while the righteous fears God and seeks worship and fellowship. Here is the greatest king of Israel, the man of war, fearless submitting and bowing down.

In these first 7 verses, David has asked God to listen. Now,…

II. David asks God to lead, vs. 8-9

8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

David’s petition is for guidance. Not by his own righteousness (not what was right in his own eyes) but what is right before God. Why? Because of his enemies, specifically their sins. Sins is messy and effects many. David’s desire is to remain on God’s strait course and petitions God for help.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.

In similar ways, this is how Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. The foul things that Absalom had done and said were proof enough of the wickedness in his heart. He couldn’t be trusted, and David asks God to lead his steps and preserve him.

In these first 7 verses, David has asked God to listen and to lead. And now,…

III. David asks God to judge righteously, vs. 10-12

A. God judges the wicked, vs. 10.

10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

David asks God to destroy them. This is not a prayer for revenge. David was just assenting to what he knew God’s justice would demand. Earlier in this story, David withholds execution of Shimei who cursed him. Later David asked his generals to deal kindly with Absalom and his followers. When Absalom is killed, David morns his son’s death.

Ultimately, Absalom’s rebellion failed in the end because he took counsel of Hushai (David’s secret agent) instead of the counsel of Ahithophel. He listened to the wrong guy. Ironically, Absalom the great deceiver became the deceived.

B. God rewards the righteous, vs. 11-12.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. 12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Contrasting, David affirms that the righteous have a strong refuge and protection. This is worth praising and singing for joy! He in a sense is also asking God to help the righteous by continue to cover/and shield completely them and bless them.

What can we learn?

A. The righteous can rejoice because God is a God who listens, leads, and judges righteously.

B. David teaches us two things that can aid our prayers:

1. To boldly approach God in prayer.

2. To bring our burdens to God.

C. Unlike the wicked who have no footing or future, we can sing in joy because God is our protection.