What does Psalm 5:3 mean?
ESV: O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
NIV: In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
NASB: In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch.
CSB: In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.
NLT: Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
KJV: My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
NKJV: My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
Verse Commentary:
David began each day by praying with the assurance that the Lord heard his voice. He prepared his prayers as sacrifices to God. Israel's priests prepared animal sacrifices by placing each piece of the animal in order upon the altar (Leviticus 1:8) and by placing the loaves of bread in order on the table in the tabernacle (Leviticus 24:8). In his own way, David carefully arranges the parts of this prayer, in order, before the Lord. Prayer does not have to be rigid, formal, or mechanical (Matthew 6:5–8), but neither should it be haphazard. If we use the example often referred to as The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 as an example, we find several significant components. The prayer includes adoration, submission to God's will, petition, confession, and a plea for guidance.
David adds in Psalm 5:3 that he not only prays but also watches. He was consistent and expectant watching for an answer to his prayer, symbolized as a guard on a watch-tower diligently watched for whoever was approaching.
Verse Context:
Psalm 5:1–3 begins like Psalm 4, as David prays to the Lord with intense feeling. This song of David shares much with Psalms 3 and 4. All three were composed by David when he was fleeing from his rebellious, murderous son, Absalom, in the wilderness (2 Samuel 15—18). Other intense prayers for relief include Jonah's prayer from the belly of a great fish (Jonah 2) and Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39–44; Hebrews 5:7). Psalm 7:1–2 also alludes to David's fervent prayer to be saved from his pursuing enemies.
Chapter Summary:
Psalm 5 begins with David's urgent prayer for the Lord to heed his groaning and cry. He addresses the Lord as his King and his God, and indicates that he prays in the morning and watches for an answer. He recognizes that God takes no pleasure in the wicked but destroys evil, lying, bloodthirsty, or deceitful men. He anticipates that the God who loves him will allow him to enter the tabernacle, where he will offer reverential worship. He prays for the Lord's leading so that he will escape his enemies, whom he identifies as devoid of truth and violent. He prays further that the Lord will cause those rebels to bear the consequences of their transgressions. The psalm closes with an appeal to the righteous to sing for joy as they take refuge in the Lord, and David asks the Lord to bless and protect the righteous.
Chapter Context:
Like Psalm 4, this psalm is connected to Psalm 3. Psalm 3 refers to David's rising up in the morning, whereas Psalm 4 refers to his nighttime sleep. This psalm is addressed to the choirmaster. Like Psalms 3 and 4, Psalm 5 was composed by David in the wilderness, when Absalom's forces sought to destroy him (see 2 Samuel 15—18). This is one of the ''imprecatory psalms,'' so called because they pray for God to destroy the wicked. The imprecatory psalms are Psalms 5, 12, 35, 37, 58, 59, 69, 79, 83, 108, 139, and 140. These psalms urge God to judge those who oppose God and His people. Imprecations are also found elsewhere in the Bible, such as in passages like Jeremiah 11:18–20,15:15, 17:18, 18:19–23, 20:11–12; 1 Corinthians 16:22, and Revelation 6:10.
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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