Psalm 5

1
Psalm 5

• Seeking Gods Will and Perspective in Difficult
  and Stressful Times
• (The lightning has struck and you are shocked!)

2
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and you could not
make a decision?

• You needed some obvious guidance.
• You asked God not to be subtle.
• Please, God, make it clear as
  to what I should do!
• King David had that feeling
  Psalm
  58--Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
  because of my enemies--make straight your way
  before me.

3
How did David approach God at times like
this?

• Examples Being pursued and betrayed by his son,
  Absalom, or by his enemies in battle
• II Samuel 1614--The king and all the people
  with him arrived at their destination exhausted.
  And there he refreshed himself.

4
Psalm 51-3--based on the KJV

• Give ear to my words, Oh Lord
• Consider my meditation
• Harken unto the voice of my cry
• My King and my God
• For unto Thee will I pray
• My voice shall Thou hear in the morning
• Oh Lord, in the morning will I direct my
  prayers
• Unto Thee and will look up

As he refreshed himself in the Lord, he may have
begun to write and sing this Psalm.
5
Notice the breadth and depth of Davids prayer
1. He asks for spoken words and unspoken thoughts
to be heard
Psalm 51--NIV

• 1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
  consider my sighing.
• Have you ever been lost for words,
  -- unable to articulate or even write
  the deep longings of your heart?
• Maybe you did not even know what was wrong!
• Praise God Our thoughts, our groanings are
  understood by God--Romans 827.

6
Notice Davids attitude towards God
2. He submits to his Kings rule and direction
for his life
Psalm 52--NIV

• 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King
  and my God, for to you I pray.
• David submits to his King.
• David prays while in submission.
• What is the lesson for us?
• Prayers are answered as we are submitted to our
  King of Kings, but not while we are in rebellion
  or pride!

7
Notice Davids hour of prayer
3. He chooses a specific time to pray--the morning
Psalm 53--NIV

• 3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my
  voice in the morning I lay my requests
  before you and wait in expectation.
• Things to note about morning prayer
• 1.Bad days begin with bad mornings.
• 2.If I dont pray in the morning, I
  may never get to it--see Psalm
  48.
• 3.Prayers in the morning are like an offering--
  laying wood and sacrifice on the altar in
  the O.T.

8
Notice Davids faith
4. He prays with expectation
Psalm 53--NIV

• 3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my
  voice in the morning I lay my requests
  before you and wait in expectation.
• Things to note about Davids expectation
• 1.The sighing (v. 1) and expectation are
  inaudible.
• 2.It is often the deepest expression of prayer.
• 3.It comes after asking--it is waiting in
  expectation.

9
Now the character of the prayer changes
5. He communicates with honest emotion
Psalm 54-6--NIV

• 4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil
  with you the wicked cannot dwell. 5 The
  arrogant cannot stand in your presence you hate
  all who do wrong. 6 You destroy those who
  tell lies blood- thirsty and
  deceitful men the LORD abhors.
• Things to apply from Davids prayer
• 1.It is acceptable to process our emotion with
  God (see the Psalm of Lament/Imprecatory
  Psalms).
• 2.The prayer helps us have a better view of God.

10
What do we learn about God?
5. He communicates with honest emotion (continued)
Psalm 54-6--NIV

• 1. God takes no pleasure in evil--v. 4a.
• 2. God does not live with the wicked/bent--v. 4b.
• 3. The arrogant cannot stand in Gods
  presence--v. 5a (the proud, the
  boastful).
• 4. God hates sin, not those who sin--v. 5b
  (a correction of Davids prayer).
• 5. God will judge the unrepentant liar--v. 6a.
• 6. God abhors a thirst for blood and lying--v. 6b.

11
Notice the change after David takes his anger to
God
6. He prays with reverence awareness of mercy
Psalm 57--NIV

• 7 But I, by your great mercy, will come
  into your house in reverence will I bow
  down toward your holy temple.
• 1. We know we are heard because of Gods mercy.
• 2. We pray differently when we know who God is.
• 3. We do not come demanding, we come bowing!

12
Notice what he wants when he is surrounded and
distressed
7. He asks God to be clear and close
Psalm 58--NIV

• 8 Lead me, O LORD, in your
  righteousness because of my
  enemies--make straight your
  way before me.
• 1. He asks for clear/straight/overt direction.
• 2. This is more than a prayer for direction.
• 3. David wants to be led by the Lord Himself
  Psalm 233b-4--He guides me in paths
• 4. He also wants the purity of Gods direction.

13
Now David returns to the honesty of his prayer
8. He articulates the traits of the wicked
Psalm 59-10--NIV

• 9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted
  their heart is filled with destruction. Their
  throat is an open grave with their tongue they
  speak deceit. 10 Declare them guilty, O God!
  Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish
  them for their many sins, for they have rebelled
  against you.
• The 5 main
  traits of wicked men
• 1. Cannot be trusted--v. 9a.
• 2. Corrupt/destructive to the core/center--v. 9b.
  
• 3. Death and decay emit from them--v. 9c.
• 4. Words filled with flattery--v. 9d Prov.
  2628 2823.
• 5. Destroyed by their own wisdom--II Sam.
  1714,23.

14
Now David returns to the honesty of his prayer
8. He articulates the traits of the wicked
(contd)
Phil. 318-19--NIV

• This language of David needs to be instructed by
  the N.T.
• 1. We are not to destroy, but give life--Luke
  953-56.
• 2. We need to find a way to pray for our enemies,
  settle disputes quickly with friends--Matt.
  523-2644-47.
• 3. We do not take revenge, we leave the judgment
  and/ or punishment to God--II Tim. 414-15
  Mark 12 2244 Romans 1219.
• Summary We turn our enemies over to the Lord to
  repay, and when possible, we pray for, settle
  matters quickly give life to our
  friends/enemies.

15
David ends His Psalm on a positive note
9. He calls the congregation to praise God
Psalm 511-12--NIV

• 11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad
  let them ever sing for joy. Spread your
  protection over them, that those who love your
  name may rejoice in you. 12 For surely, O
  LORD, you bless the righteous you
  surround them with your favor as with a shield.
• 1. The chord of our praise is to be filled with
  gladness, singing, joy, love and
  rejoicing--v. 11.
• 2. In our praise, the Lord spreads protection
  over us, blesses us, surrounds us (fences us in)
  with favor with a (whole body) shield--v. 12.
  (See John 1620.)

16
Psalm 5 is a wonderful blessing to us
Psalm 5
In summary, here is how David leads us in prayer
Psalm 51-12

• 1. He asks for spoken words and unspoken thoughts
  to be heard.
• 2. He submits to His kings rule direction for
  his life.
• 3. He chooses a specific time to pray--the
  morning.
• 4. He prays with expectation.
• 5. He communicates with honest emotion.
• 6. He prays with reverence and awareness of
  mercy.
• 7. He asks God to be clear and close.
• 8. He articulates the traits of the wicked.
• 9. He calls the congregation to praise God.

17
For the director of music. For flutes. A Psalm
of David 1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing. 2 Listen to my cry for
help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice in the
morning I lay my requests before you and wait in
expectation. 4 You are not a God who takes
pleasure in evil with you the wicked cannot
dwell. 5 The arrogant cannot stand in your
presence you hate all who do wrong. 6 You
destroy those who tell lies bloodthirsty and
deceitful men the LORD abhors. 7 But I, by
your great mercy, will come into your house in
reverence will I bow down toward your holy
temple.
18
(continued) 8 Lead me, O LORD, in your
righteousness because of my enemies-- make
straight your way before me. 9 Not a word from
their mouth can be trusted their heart is filled
with destruction. Their throat is an open grave
with their tongue they speak deceit. 10
Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues
be their downfall. Banish them for their many
sins, for they have rebelled against you. 11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad let
them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection
over them, that those who love your name may
rejoice in you. 12 For surely, O LORD, you
bless the righteous you surround them with your
favor as with a shield.
19
Psalm 51-3--based on KJV
Give ear to my words, Oh Lord Consider my
meditation Harken unto the voice of my cry My
King and my God For unto Thee will I pray My
voice shall Thou hear in the morning Oh Lord, in
the morning will I direct my prayers Unto
Thee and will look up
20

• Appendix--Scripture References
• Romans 826--In the same way, the Spirit helps us
  in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to
  pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for
  us with groans that words cannot express. 27
  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of
  the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the
  saints in accordance with God's will.
• Psalm 48--I will lie down and sleep in peace,
  for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
• Psalm 233--...he restores my soul. He guides me
  in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
  4 Even though I walk through the valley of the
  shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you
  are with me your rod and your staff, they
  comfort me.
• Proverbs 2628--A lying tongue hates those it
  hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
• Proverbs 2823--He who rebukes a man will in the
  end gain more favor than he who has a flattering
  tongue.

21

• II Timothy 414--Alexander the metalworker did me
  a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for
  what he has done. 15 You too should be on your
  guard against him, because he strongly opposed
  our message. 16 At my first defense, no one
  came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May
  it not be held against them.
• Romans 1219--Do not take revenge, my friends,
  but leave room for God's wrath, for it is
  written "It is mine to avenge I will repay,"
  Deut. 3235 says the Lord.
• John 1620-- I tell you the truth, you will weep
  and mourn while the world rejoices. You will
  grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.