Psalms 5:3

“O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;

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

Introduction: The Sound of Silence

Have you ever sat in a silent house, the kind of quiet that feels almost heavy? Maybe it’s early in the morning before the rest of the family wakes up, or late at night after everyone has gone to bed. The world outside is still, and there you are, alone with your thoughts.

For some, that silence can be peaceful. But for many, it’s the moment when the questions surface—questions that stay hidden during the noise of the day. Questions like:

“God, do You hear me?”

“Do You see me?”

“Do You care?”

When life feels uncertain—when a job is lost, or a diagnosis comes, or a relationship falls apart—those questions get louder. The silence can feel like abandonment.

Psalm 5 was written in a time of turmoil. David was surrounded by enemies. He was grappling with injustice, deception, and pressure. But in the middle of all that stress and all those unanswered questions, he says something extraordinary:

“In the morning, LORD, You hear my voice.”

Notice the certainty there. Not, “I hope You hear me.” Not, “Maybe You’ll hear me if I get it together.” No—“You hear my voice.”

That is what I want us to think about together tonight: God is a God who listens. He hears every cry, every sigh, every longing of your heart. And because He listens, you can bring every need to Him with confidence.

1. A God Who Bends Down to Listen

Sometimes people imagine God as distant. Like a CEO in a high-rise office, too busy to care about ordinary concerns. He might listen to the big stuff—war and famine and natural disasters—but surely not the little aches of one heart among billions.

But the Bible never describes God this way. The Scriptures present God as infinitely glorious and intimately near.

Psalm 116:2 says:

“Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath.”

Just think about that: the King of the universe bends down to hear you.

Have you ever watched a parent get down on one knee to hear their little child? The child’s voice is soft, the words are halting, but the parent leans in close. That is the picture here—only more profound.

David calls God “my King and my God.” He holds together reverence—“You are the King of all”—and relationship—“You are my God, my Father.”

When you pray, you don’t send your requests into an empty void. You don’t have to shout loud enough to get His attention. You already have His attention. The One who holds the galaxies also counts every hair on your head.

2. From Desperation to Expectation

David starts Psalm 5 by crying out:

“Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry,”

This is desperation. He’s not praying polite, scripted prayers. He’s pouring out his distress. He’s being honest about what he feels.

Somewhere along the way, many believers begin to think that spiritual maturity means hiding emotion. That prayer has to be tidy and calm and carefully phrased.

But God isn’t looking for performance. He’s looking for honesty. He already knows what’s in your heart. When you name it before Him, that’s not weakness—it’s trust.

But notice how David moves from desperation to expectation:

“O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”

This is such a powerful picture. He doesn’t just lay his burdens down and walk away. He leaves them with God and stays, watching to see what God will do.

Imagine someone bringing a case before a judge and then sitting down in the courtroom, certain that a wise ruling will come. That’s David’s posture.

This is what trust looks like:

Being honest about what you need.

Placing those needs before God.

Staying expectant that He will act in His perfect wisdom and time.

3. The Morning Rhythm of Trust

Why does David mention morning twice?

“O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you…”

Because morning is when we decide what story we’re going to live in for the rest of the day.

Think about how most mornings start. The alarm goes off, and before the feet hit the floor, the mind is already spinning.

What if this happens?

How am I going to handle that?

What if I fail?

What if it falls apart?

Fear wants to set the tone. Anxiety wants to script your day.

David shows us a different way: start the day with God. Before anything else, lay it all before Him. Name your fears. Name your hopes. Ask for help.

This is not superstition. It’s an act of trust. It’s saying, “Lord, before I carry any burden, I’m giving it to You.”

And here’s the beautiful thing: you can do this every morning. There’s no limit. God doesn’t tire of hearing you. He doesn’t get bored with your voice. He doesn’t wish you’d move on and figure it out yourself.

Every morning, He invites you to come close.

4. When It Feels Like He’s Silent

Now, let’s be honest—sometimes you lay your requests before God, and nothing seems to change.

The illness continues.

The job doesn’t come through.

The relationship stays broken.

The anxiety lingers.

It can feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. Like God isn’t listening after all.

This is where many people lose heart. They confuse God’s apparent silence with absence.

But silence is not the same as indifference.

A parent doesn’t always answer the moment a child cries out. Sometimes the parent is working behind the scenes in ways the child can’t see.

The same is true of God. His delays are never cruelty. They are often mercy. He is shaping hearts, building trust, teaching dependence.

Hebrews 4:16 gives this invitation:

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

The throne you approach is not made of cold stone. It is a throne of grace. And the One seated there is not annoyed by your need. He welcomes it.

So if you are in a season of waiting, don’t assume God has turned away. He is listening. He is working. And in the silence, He is inviting you deeper into faith.

5. Learning to Wait Expectantly

Notice again how David ends verse 3: “…and watch” (another version: “wait expectantly”)

Waiting is hard. It feels passive. But biblical waiting is active trust.

To wait expectantly is to say:

“God, I don’t know how You will answer, but I know You will.”

“I don’t know the timing, but I know Your timing is perfect.”

“I don’t see the way forward, but I trust that You do.”

This is the posture that anchors the heart in crisis. When the world stops—when everything feels shaky—there is still One who is steady.

Psalm 23 says: “The LORD is my shepherd; I lack nothing.”

That doesn’t mean life is easy or painless. It means there is no circumstance that can separate you from the care of your Shepherd.

6. Jesus: The One Who Prays for You

Finally, let’s not miss where this all points.

How can you be certain that God hears your voice?

Because you have a Savior—Jesus Christ—who not only prayed for you but prays for you still.

On earth, Jesus often rose early in the morning to pray. He knew what it was to pour out His heart to the Father, to lay His requests down in faith.

And at the cross, He cried out the most desperate prayer of all:

“My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”

He entered the silence of separation so that you would never have to. Because of His sacrifice, you can come confidently to God, not as strangers, but as beloved sons and daughters.

And now, risen and glorified, Jesus intercedes for you. Romans 8:34 says:

“Christ Jesus…is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

When you pray, you are never alone. Your prayers rise together with the prayers of Jesus Himself.

Conclusion

Maybe tonight you feel like you don’t even have words. That’s okay. The God who hears you also searches your heart.

So here’s what you can do:

Lay your requests before Him.

Be honest.

Be expectant.

And rest in this unshakable truth:

He is listening. He is working. He will answer.

And when you’re tempted to doubt, lift your eyes to Jesus—your Shepherd, your Savior, your Advocate. In Him, every promise of God is “Yes and Amen.”

Let’s pray.

Lord, thank You that You hear every whisper, every cry, every longing. Thank You that You are my King and my God, and yet You are also my Father and Friend. Thank You for Jesus, who carried my sin, prayed for my forgiveness, and now stands before Your throne on my behalf. Teach me to trust You in the waiting. Help me to lay my burdens down each morning and wait expectantly for You to work. I praise You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.