Sermon Tone Analysis

Upon Nehiloth—flutes or wind instruments.

This psalm may have been composed in Jerusalem since David had access to the house of God.

Probably a short time before the revolt of Absalom and when the King would have been aware of the conspirators.

This psalm has been called the ‘Morning Psalm’.

Psalm 5 teaches us some great truths concerning prayer.

True Prayer is Personal

Look at the language David uses here:

“My words,” “My meditation,” “My cry,” “My King,” “My God.”

People can pray for us but no one can replace our personal prayer to God.

We have a duty to pray personally before God.

We must also recognize our personal relation to God.

He is “My Father,” “My King,” “My God.”

Nothing is real until it is personal

True Prayer is Profound and Passionate

Begins with Words

Notice - It begins with words.

“Give ear to my words”

Many have the idea that words are not necessary to prayer, that the finest prayer does without words.

While there is truth to this idea, the greater truth is that true prayer cannot indeed express itself, but it will labour to do so.

If our sense of need is real and intense, we will speak out in broken, passionate words.

Robert Hall, in his private devotions prayed aloud, lest his prayers should become vapid and wandering.

If there is no audible, verbal prayer, the “aspirations” will become ever more shadowy and vague.

We go to prayer with great intention and focus, yet when we pray it is easy for our minds to wander and become engaged in distractions.

Deepens into our sighs

The Hebrew word used here for ‘meditation’ means “sighing”.

We could say “O Lord, consider my sighing”

It signifies a desperate sigh or groaning, indicating the psalmist’s great turmoil.

If language could express all we feel, ours could hardly be a true prayer; language breaks off into groanings.

Remember that when our sighing and feeling have broken us to the point that our words become half-uttered and give rise to groaning — the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf.

Rises into cries

It rises into a cry, and a cry has a voice which pierces heaven.

Powerful prayer is a prayer that comes from a heart and voice that are crying out to the Lord as one in distress.

True Prayer is Resolute

“For unto Thee will I pray.”

“There is a holy boldness here.

God, as the King of His people, could not deny them His protection, and they asked no other.

For to Thee, and Thee only, will I pray.

As if he had said, it is in this capacity that I invoke Thee, and I therefore must be heard.”

True Prayer is Obedient

David speaks of himself, figuratively, as a ministering priest, setting in order the altar wood and the morning sacrifice.

Now the Levite acted according to the law of God in presenting the sacrifices, and they were accepted only as they were so offered.

In prayer we must recognise the word and will of God.

Prayer is not, as some suppose, a wild, arbitrary, lawless overriding of Divine law; but, on the contrary, it profoundly consults the mind of God; it regulates its petitions by the revealed will of God, and seeks to conform all life to the purpose and plan of God.

Prayer is not a place for us to go and seek worldly desires.

Prayer is Expectant

“Look out expectantly for the thing prayed for.”

“The image presented is that of one looking from a wall or tower in anxious expectation of approaching succour.”

We often see in the bible that watching is a part of prayer, it is the expectation we should have that God will answer our prayer of faith.

I call this the AAA policy, we have heard of the AAA insurance company, but we should also view prayer as: Ask, Anticipate, Answered.

Resting on the assurance that God will always keep His word.

When a man has lodged his prayers with God he may look up, he ought to look up, and God will not disappoint him.

Let us then each morning thus draw nigh unto God.

We cannot tell what a day shall bring forth, but if we greet the morning sun with prayer, we shall see the setting sun with praise.

The Relation of God to the Wicked

God has no pleasure in wickedness

God does not tolerate wickedness

“Neither shall evil dwell with thee”

Redwald, King of East Anglia, built a church, at one end of which was an altar for the sacrifice of the mass, and at the other end an altar for sacrifice to the old British idols.

How frequently the Church is in danger of making analogous compromises, allowing certain evils to exist within its borders for the sake of gold, or popularity, or peace.

“Rest assured, Christ will not live in the parlour of our hearts if we entertain the devil in the cellar of our thoughts.”—Spurgeon.

God does not tolerate wickedness.

It is no part of His pleasure, no part of His policy, that evil should be found in the human heart or in the world.

The Relation of God to the Saints

God is their Shepherd

As a shepherd leads his sheep, so the Lord leads His people.

The plea of David here is that the Lord will make His way known clearly, simple.

The Hebrew word here means smooth or right.

David’s prayer is that God will show him the right way.

God is their Shield

God is their Song

Rejoice, shout for joy is the command here for the believer, the Lord is defending you from the enemy.

This week was very difficult for me on a personal level.

It was a week when God pushed me to practice what I preach.

Last week when we went through Psalm 4 the Lord allowed some distress to come my way.

On Tuesday I dropped off a pair of clothes to get tailored for a repair and upon returning home I rear-ended another vehicle.

The person was driving a work van and recieved no damage to the vehicle at all and said they were not hurt or anything.

My car on the other hand needed repairs and was damaged more than I knew.

I filed a claim and we both went our separate ways.

Wednesday I dropped off my vehicle to be inspected for insurance repairs and spoke with the repair shop on Thursday about the accident and what areas were damaged.

The insurance company called me early Thursday afternoon to notify me that the person I hit had hired an attorney and claimed they were injured in the accident.

Moments after the call the repair shop called to notify me that the repairs exceeded the value of the car and insurance should be reaching out to “total” my car.

This brought me a very distressed place and I became frustrated and overwhelmed.

Probably more over the fact that the person claimed injury when the accident was so minor and I had just repaired my car to drive it on Sunday.

Friday the insurance company called to give the value I would receive for the vehicle and to let me know the next steps.

This was the best news I had received all week regarding the situation.

The value offered for my vehicle was actually worth more than a real trade-in value and would be helpful for purchasing a new vehicle.

Saturday we went to a car dealership only to have them tell us they have no stock and would be 2 months for the vehicle we were interested in purchasing.

We left and went to a different dealer who had the exact car we were looking to purchase and able to complete the purchase of the vehicle.

I wish I could report that I kept my faith and remained strong to trust God, but the truth is I failed miserably and my frustrations overcame me.

I remember driving to the dealership and having an alone conversation with the Lord before finalizing the deal on the car, I did not yet know all the financial details would work but that time with God helped me more than I could realize.

I could have avoided a lot of distress if I would have cast all those cares to the Lord and trusted He knew what was best.