The Psalms (5)

Introduction: When Jesus was walking with His disciples, and fulfilling his earthy ministry, there was something about the way He prayed that caused his disciples to ask, “Teach us to pray?” The result was the recorded instruction from Jesus in Luke 11:2-4 (read)

If you are a follower of Jesus today, then you are well aware of our need to continue growing in the area of prayer. Since we have been teaching through the Psalms, we have discovered that they were written for this very reason. To help God’s people pray. To help us sing. To give his people a voice to worship the Lord. Today, from Psalm 5, we are going to observe some key instructions for praying to our Holy Lord...

Read: Psalm 5:1-12

Prayer: Psalm 119:114

Psalm 119:114 ESV

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

Psalm 5 instructs God’s people how to Pray with watchfulness… (5:1-3)

a. Which means to pray with fervent faith

How to pray with watchfulness?

4 answers.

1. Watch the Lord (5:4-6)

Pray with theological clarity, notice all the theological statements David makes. (looking over verses 1-12 with emphasis.. God is Holy)

Transition: When we gaze at God, and gain truth about who he is, we will inevitably begin to gain clarity about ourselves… Which takes us to our next point… We pray expectantly by watching the Lord, and second by watching…

2. Watch yourself (5:7-8)

David knows that its only because of God’s faithful, loyal, covenant love that he can enter into His presence.( 7)

he knows the only way he should approach God is with humility and reverence (7b) he knows he needs to be lead in God’s righteousness and God’s straight pathway. (8) How has David come to realize this about himself? he has some enemies.

3. Watch the enemy (5:9-10)

enemy awareness

Verse 10..In contrast for his request to make his path straight and righteous, David is very much aware of the path of his enemies. He is requesting God’s vindication upon them because he is fully aware that their guilt is against God… “because they have raised a hand against God’s anointed.” Hes not asking God at this point for self vindication, rather he’s asking God to protect His own name.

The description of David’s enemy in verses 9-10 sounds a lot like Jesus’ description of the devil in John 8:39-47

John 8:39–47 ESV

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

There are only two groups of people in the world; those who’s father is God, and those who’s father is the devil.

God’s people should pray with a keen awareness of our true enemy. Further more, Those who belong to God through faith in Christ alone, should never forget where we came from and what Jesus saved us from, what He redeemed us out of. (Ephesians 2:1-3)

We can pray for those who persecute us, and revile, and slander because we know that behind all their wickedness is their father.. our true enemy. This is why our enemy is not flesh and blood, but principalities and powers of the air. We should be watchful of his schemes .

2 Cor 2:10-11, 1 Peter 5:6-11

2 Corinthians 2:10–11 ESV

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

1 Peter 5:6–11 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Puritan pastor ,Thomas Brooks, wrote a very helpful book unpacking this truth entitled... Precious Remedies against Satan's devices. He spends more time giving remedies than focusing on the devil’s tactics, but one that he emphasizes Satan’s strategy to not only trouble a soul with temptation, but then to tempt the soul to despair because they are being tempted. To suffer temptation is not sinful, but yielding to the temptation is. One remedy he offers is to remember that to suffer the greatest temptation is better than to yielding to the smallest sin. “Never yield to the least sin in order to be rid of the greatest temptation.”[1]

[1] Brooks, Thomas, Edit. By Alexander Grosart, The Works of Thomas Brooks; Volume One. Banner of Truth Trust, 2001. (pg. 117)

Transition: This wise and hopeful counsel directs us to verses 11-12. We pray with watchfulness by watching the Lord, ourselves, our enemies and lastly.

4. Watch with hope (5:11-12)

Rejoicing, joy, protection, exultation, and blessing all come from the Lord. These are benefits for the righteous. Which leads us to ask, how can anyone be righteous?

Transition: David is clearly aware of God, himself, and his enemies… and so he prays accordingly.

Conclusion: Psalm 5 should provoke us to study the Scriptures diligently to grow in our knowledge of God, which will give us a clearer view of ourselves, and make us watchful against the schemes of the evil one.

We cannot grow stagnant in our prayer. We cannot be empowered for service without prayer. Which begs the question.. how do we pray? Retell story of garden of Gethsemane, Jesus telling his disciples to watch and pray. Mat 26:41

Matthew 26:41 ESV

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We should pray with watchfulness; keeping our eyes on the Lord, ourselves, and our enemy. May we be vigilant church! And fervent in prayer.

5:1

give ear= hazianah, heed something, perceive sound

my words= emer, brief statement, speech

O Lord= Yahweh

consider= byn, understand, pay attention examine

groaning= hagig, sighing, fervent cry

5:2

Give attention=cashav, be alert, listen attentively

sound= quol, message, voice,

cry= shevah, cry for help, loud protest

my King, melek, ruler, king

my God= elohim

pray= pelell, pronounce, intercessor, address

5:3

Lord= yahweh

morning= boquer, daybreak

you hear= shama, persevere sound, listen

my voice= quol, sound of something spoken

in morning= same as above

prepare= errak, arrange

watch= sapha, look, examine, attentively keep watch

[sounds like Jesus instruction to watch and pray. watch like a guard on night duty.]

5:4

Not= lo,

God= El

who delights= haphets, desire, willing, takes pleasure in

wickedness= resha, wrong, offence, injustice, falsehood

evil=ra, reprobate, contemptible

may not dwell= gur, inhabit, live

5:5

boastful= halel, infatuated, pride, mockery,

shall not stand= utsavtibit, take a stand, present oneself

before= neged, opposite, in front of,

your eyes= ayin, appearance, look [opposite to the Arronic blessing of chapter 4]

you hate= sane, scorn, feel deep aversion towards, intensely dislike, to hate

evildoers= poale (vrb) awen (noun) those who sin, those demonstrating and characteristic of evil

[Vs. 4:5 are giving further explanation of 1:5. I’m going to need some help with this one, when most folks have not category for God hating people.]

5:6

You destroy= avad, perish, ruin, get lost, go astray

those who speak= davar, express in speech

lies= cazav, statement that deviates or perverts truth

Lord= yawheh

abhors= tiev, desecrates, makes an abomination

the bloodthirsty= dom, shedding of blood, murderer

and deceitful= mirmah, trickery, fraudulent, causing others to believe falsehood

[This is describing the perishing way of the wicked]

5:7

But I= vav, ani, in contrast “I”

abundance= rrov, more than adequate supply, plentiful quantity

of your steadfast love= hesed, covenant loyalty, faithful grace

enter= bvaleph, enter, lead in, brought,

your house= bayit, dwelling, “presence”

I will bow down=hvavhe, worship, bend down to

holy temple= quodesh hekal, set apart dominion dwelling

in the fear of you= yirra, profound respect, holy terror

[In contrast to way of wicked… which is unpacking the emphasis of Psalm 1]

5:8

Lead me= naha, be in charge of

Lord= yahweh

in your righteousness= sedequ, honesty, justice, vindication, virtue

because of= maan, with reference to, for sake of, in order that

my enemies= shorer, watcher

make your way straight= yasharr, smooth, correct, level, upright

way= derek, road, path

before me= pana, front, ahead, visible in front

5:9

Because

there is no= ayin, ? nothing, non-existence

truth= kvn, fixed, appointed, establishment

their mouth= peh, opening on body in which statements come forth

inmost self= querev, inward parts, heart and mind

is destruction= havah, termination, irreparable damage,

throat= garon, passage to the stomach

open= pth, let loose, liberate, unsealed

grave= cever, burial chamber for corpse

they flatter= halak, smooth, slippery, dishonest praise

with their tongue= lashon, speech formed by tongue, inlet to throat

[character profile of the wicked]

5:10

make them bear their guilt= asham, pronounce them guilty, make them pay their punishment of guilt

God=elohim

let them fall=nephal, collapse, drop, suffer defeat

their own counsels= moetsa, plans, elaborate course of actions

because of the abundance=rrov, quantity, unusually large number

of their transgressions= pesha, crimes, offence, violations of law, rebellion

cast them out= nedah, drive away, scatter from, banish,

for they have rebelled= mardah, defied authority, contentious against God

[Corresponds to 2 Sam 15:31, seems like a harsh prayer until read verse 11]

5:11

All

Who take refuge in you= hosah, go to safe location, shelter

let rejoice= samah, be merry, feel happiness, make glad

ever, olam, all time in future

let them sing for joy=rrahnan, call loudly, exult, produce a song

and spread protection= skk, provide covering

that those who love your name= hb/sem, those who have great affection for God’s reputation. [in contrast to those who rebel against God’s name.]

may exult in you= aylots, extreme happiness

[Connected to 2:12]

5:12

For you= Ki/ attah, indeed, surely, because YOU…

bless= brk, fill with strength, invoke divine favor

the righteous= just, innocent, upright

Lord= Yahweh

cover with= tr, encircle, surround

favor= rason, wha s pleasing, approval, acceptance

like a shield= sinnah, (a metaphor/simile) defence from attack [see 3:3]