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As Christians, we know we are to seek God's face in prayer. We face needs and fears, taking them before God.
We expect, or at least hope, God will act upon our requests. We see many prayers simply never answered and
reason God knew better, or we didn't have the faith. As you might perceive, the subject of prayer is one of
great depth, with many questions needing answers.
One good book that answers many prayer questions is by R.A. Torrey entitled, "The Power of Prayer". For more
on the subject of prayer, you might want to read almost any book by Andrew Murray. Prayer was indeed at the
heart of his life and ministry.
Today I would like to focus on the important lesson found in Psalm 5. This is a Psalm that gives important
ground work into understanding the way we need to come before God. A lesson seldom taught any more.
Psalm 5
1 To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward
thy holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open
sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their
transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest
them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Part 1:
Going Before God In Prayer
1 To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
There are three pieces of information that preface this Psalm:
"To the chief Musician", being instructions for this Psalm to be given to the hands of the lead man in charge
of the musical worship of God.
"Upon Nehiloth", is uncertain, but possibly meaning, "flutes or inheritances". I've seen the word for "upon"
translated elsewhere as "toward". Whatever its proper meaning, it was likely indicative of the style this
Psalm was intended to be played in.
"A Psalm of David", most likely telling us this is a musical compilation David is accredited with.
Apart from this preface information, the first three verses are sung in a contemporary worship song. It is a
beautiful song, but I am always left a little sad, because it stopped at the end of verse three. Ending there,
anyone can sing it in one of two ways. In context or out of it. I much prefer protecting the context, so the
wicked can't redefine it and sing along heartily with a perverse foundation. We shall look at this more, shortly.
David launches with one of the core concerns we have as we go to prayer. We pray with hope that God will hear
the words of our prayers. We are petitioning the face of the King. David also starts with an important name.
These words aren't just presented to the more generic title of "God". David approaches God in the position of
His name of the covenant. All mankind can approach "God", hoping for his "divine prerogative" to grant an
answer. David comes from a different position of standing upon a relationship that is defined by covenant.
As Christians, that is how we go before God. We come in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We enter God's
presence on grounds for more hope of answered prayer than simply hoping God's divine prerogative will be in our favor.
David calls for God to take a close look at what he is "meditating". That word indicates what he is musing
upon. Unless you are in a right standing with God, YOU HAD BETTER NOT ASK GOD TO DO THAT! Why? If you have
wickedness abiding in your heart that is not dealt with, you are asking God to look at that heart. Such a
defiled heart is only asking for God to bring down His hand of judgment. Such a prayer is only wise to offer
upon a heart searching confidence of right standing before the God of covenant. The One who has made us
clean, under the blood of His lamb and given us a new and clean heart.
This second verse takes us into a full standing with God. From the position of covenant, there must follow the
necessary confession of His position. He is our King and God. That is, we clearly recognize His position of
lordship over our lives.
David repeats the thought of requesting God to "Hearken". "Hearken" meaning to "give attention". This verse
progresses from "thoughts", to that which David is loudly, and strongly, vocalizing. He has considered and now
actively proclaims that burden before the King, seeking His concession and divine decree.
The word "for" may seem rather small, but it is very significant. It is the grounds upon which David hopes to be
heard. If David kept it to himself, he would not have hope of the answered prayer, for none would have been
offered. If he had prayed to some false god, he again would be without real hope. David knows whom he is
approaching, and so has confidence in having taken his cares before the proper authority.
Verse 3 actually begins with God's name, in the Hebrew. It's word order is "Yahweh, morning hear my voice".
This word order tells us something of the priorities. Beholding the Beloved Saviour first thing, to begin the
day. From that position, David is seeking for God to attend to the vocalized requests of his soul.
The second half of this verse is interesting in its composition. He again marks the important time element of
when he is presenting his case. It is in the place of first things first. We are not to go into battle, then
pray later. We desperately need to pray first, then we will be prepared for battle. Next we see the word
"prayer", but it is not the common word for prayer. The word translated here, actually carries a meaning of
"setting before", like laying the evidence before a judge. The word translated "will look up", means "to keep
watch". In this phrase, we see David, in the urgency of the morning, presenting his case before the Judge and
eagerly watching to see the decree issued and executed. Remember that David was a king himself and would have
beheld the desperate person, seeking merciful help, and waiting, with all at stake, to hear his decree that
would be for their salvation. No doubt, he also beheld that the most desperate were those who were first in
cue to go before him in the day. We can behold these likely kinds of recollections mirrored in these verses.
Thus ends the part contemporarily sung. The words are wonderful, but apart from what follows, the message will
be too easily abused.
Part 2:
Reason for David's Prayer
4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
There is that seemingly small word again, "For". That tiny word tells us something important here as well. It
tells us the reason David has hope in his prayer. He stands upon the ground of God's character. His prayer,
and reasonable expectation of an answer, is based upon God's character. David knows God's character is such that
He takes no pleasure in wickedness. He does not approach God on the grounds of, "I would enjoy a nice house
and beautiful car". David is not seeking for selfish enrichment. David is seeking on grounds of righteousness
and true justice. He knows the court of heaven will not tolerate wickedness. God's heaven is a holy court.
"The foolish" is interestingly a word more literally meaning "the boastful ones". This helps us to see the
primary distinguishing mark of what is to be noted among those the Bible calls "foolish". These boastful
ones are excluded from the courts of heaven, in their prayers. The boastful ones are also grouped as being
one of the "workers of iniquity".
The list goes on that informs us of the kind God will not countenance:
"Leasing" is an old English word for "lies". God isn't just miffed at liars. He marks them for destruction!
God's character is such that He "abhors" murderers and deceivers. Now murderers, we can clearly understand, but
how hard it is for us to see that same abhorrence of deceitfulness.
I remember listening to a preacher who was condemning the Pharisees' ungodliness, this preacher then went on to use:
15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that
thou mayest look on their nakedness! Habakkuk 2:15
He took that verse and used it to condemn anyone who offered alcohol to anyone. If you offered a drink of wine to
a dinner guest, you were under that same woe. According to that interpretation, Jesus would be condemned for
making the wine at the wedding. The passage is clear in its condemnation of someone getting another person drunk
to be able to behold their nakedness. To take such a verse and use it as that preacher did, is to practice
deceit. I understand he thought any words of condemnation of alcohol had to be virtuous. Based upon that
position, he felt at liberty to not be honest in the use of a verse, if it promoted his viewpoint. I beseech
you brethren, tremble before God when you are using His Word. In the fear of God, honestly expound what is
there and don't twist it to support particular fancies. Knowing the character of God, we dare not make a breach
into deceitfulness. May God help us to be accurate with His Word! Deceitfulness is deceitfulness, whether it
be for good or for evil. The ends do not justify the means.
Part 3:
Grounds of Approach
7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward
thy holy temple.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
This Psalm takes a turn to behold David's grounds of approach, as opposed to the unwelcome wicked he has listed.
First, he comes with a confidence of not facing the condemnation, and rejection to destruction, counting upon
God's mercy. For us in the New Testament, he is referring to the grace that God pours upon us in receiving sinful
humans, such as we are. David even specifically details that mercy is a "multitude". He is fully aware that God
isn't just being a little gracious, feeling he has plenty of merits upon which to stand. David takes the place
of needing a whole lot of God's mercy.
David is not brought, he comes into God's house.
In the second half of verse 7, the Hebrew word order is again of note. It is "worship, toward your holy temple,
in your fear". The action of worship precedes, followed by the focal point of God's holy place of abode, and
running on the rails of the fear of the Lord. Here is some real meat to ponder as we consider this point of
"How to Approach God Acceptably".
Verse 8 finally opens up a glimpse of what the actual contents of the prayer are that David was seeking. Was
it that fancy home or that nice car? No! This prayer was such a beautiful prayer that God delights in. The heart,
that is counting on God's grace, asking for God to lead him in His righteousness. This is the humbled heart, in
fear and trembling, that carries the first need of seeking God to lead him. This is the heart of a true disciple.
Now notice the burr. David seeks this wonderful leading "because" of enemies. He concludes the 8th verse seeking
that clear path of God's ways. The sandwich here contains the constant view of enemies just waiting to seize
their prey. When we have a life so easy and carefree, it is our fallen nature to forget the urgency to seek
God's discipleship in His ways and righteousness. It is those enemies that help us keep that keen eye on the
Lord. We know that God does providentially watch over us and protect us from those ravenous enemies. Enemies,
whose rage is really against God, target His servants in their wrath. They know that if we stray from God, we
will become their prey. David also knows this important lesson. You might not say, "the motivation here is
love", but we all know the child does not always do the right thing out of love. It is that fear of punishment
that is the greatest influence in their upbringing. So, by God's wise providence, there are the enemies. David
is honest and is not ashamed to admit of that motivational concern.
Part 4:
Character of the Wicked Fit for Destruction
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open
sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their
transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
Again, there is that "For". David would like, as do we all, to be able to live a life void of treacherous
people. That simply is not the case in this world. We will have to deal with such, out of the necessities
of life. It may be in dealing with a corrupt employer to dealing with corrupt police officers, who are
abusing their power, to dealing with a corrupt government that is ruling the country in tyranny.
David reminisces the bitterness of such dealings, remembering their dishonesty of speech. He well knows
that speech proceeds from a soul whose interior state could be compared to a "chasm", in which a victim
may fall to his destruction. (That phrase, "very wickedness" meaning "calamity of destruction" or "a chasm",
being figurative of destruction.)
That which comes from their mouths, comes, as it were, from a grave.
They speak words of friendship and pretend to be impressed, so giving the impression of being for you and
sympathizing with you. David has suffered such treachery from these wicked.
Verse 10 takes the final plunge, into these enemies, in asking God to confound their ways. David knows the
reason for their abuse of him is their rebellion against God Himself. These enemies are not just "personal"
enemies of David. These enemies are "personal" enemies of God. There is that "for" that makes that clear.
DAVID'S PRAYER IS NOT BLOOD THIRSTY, FOR HE CLEARLY CONDEMNED SUCH A HEART IN VERSE 6. Though it is a personal
suffering for David, it is more than that.
We can see a parallel to this in Esther seeking the life of Haman and the overturning of Haman's wicked works.
In Esther, we see a perfect comparison of God actually making Haman fall by his "own counsels". He was cast out
in the multitude of his transgressions. He had rebelled against God. It was not wicked for Mordecai to implore
Esther to petition on behalf of the Jews, which meant Haman's destruction. Mordecai had obeyed God, in refusing
to show honor to the wicked Haman. Mordecai thus became Haman's enemy. Mordecai rightfully would take the place
presented in this prayer, without having a blood thirsty or wicked heart. When we are fighting God's battles, we
will find ourselves facing similar enemies. This is not to be confused with enemies we might have, for example,
who might hate us because we won the trophy they felt they deserved. At the time Jesus walked the earth, the Jews
had taken the position of justly hating all enemies and seeking retribution. Jesus taught to correct such in what
has been called the sermon on the mount, "turn the other cheek" (Matthew Ch. 5). Jesus' teaching was not intended
to be seen, out of context, as condemning David here or Mordecai, as seen in Esther.
Part 5:
Righteous Blessed & Defended
11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:
let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
The completion of this Psalm wraps up the answer to the issue of how to approach God acceptably. It describes the
special position held by those who faithfully follow the leading of God.
Verse 11 helps us to understand verse 10 better. When we realize the oppression of the wicked results in the suffering
of the righteous, we must conclude that unless the wicked is judged, the righteous will not be delivered from
their tormentors. We simply cannot be praying for the deliverance of a suffering saint, without that being a
prayer for God to disappoint the wicked oppressors of that saint.
Like a rabid dog illustration: If you found a rabid dog in your fenced yard, frothing at the mouth, snarling
ferociously at your cornered children, you wouldn't treat that dog kindly. You cannot actively practice love
in that situation towards your children without seeking the dog's destruction.
As it says elsewhere, "we must walk by faith, not by sight". To put our trust in God is to walk by faith. Walking
that way, we are to rejoice, shout for joy and be joyful in Him. Why? Because God will defend us!
This also calls for those who specifically love God's name. That name being "Yahweh", which tells us of His
provision for us, His promises, His care, His being above and beyond all that has ever been created. To all
we truly need, He simply is. From His person, He says, "I Am". Knowing such, as I am sure this only scratches
the surface of His name, we will love His name. This flows into the actual use of His name in verse 12. That
name being translated in the King James Bible simply as Lord.
The joy, the joyfulness and the shouting, interestingly precede the fulfillment in these verses. Verse 12 sees the
fulfillment, not 11. The promise is of blessing. The covering is God's defence of His saints. A shield is for
defence from the enemy. God specifically holds out the promise of His favor upon us in granting a defence.
Considering the suffering of Joseph, we see the prison term was God's doorway to Joseph's exaltation. Joseph was
not simply left in prison to rot. Even in that suffering time, God gave him favor and he was promoted to being the
keeper of the prison.
On the cover of this tract is a picture from the book "Pilgrim's Progress". It shows Christian at the gate to the
narrow way and the cross of Christ. He is burdened with the baggage of sin. The sign over the gate saying, "Knock
and it shall be opened unto you." This, in a way, illustrates Psalm 5. We have our burdens, maybe not sin this
time, but suffering. We come seeking deliverance. We approach the gate of prayer, and seek the deliverance that
is provided in God's mercy. We have our promise of, "Knock and it shall be opened unto you." Just like Christian,
in "Pilgrim's Progress", we must enter through the "wicket gate". Any other entrance is false to the Lord of the
way, and can hold no promise of acceptance by the Lord at its end. We must come in consideration of His character
and the nature of His holy court. We must take the place of the disciple who has received His grace and come
seeking His interests of righteousness and hating iniquity.
When we come according to the manner of "the Lord of the way", we will see His favor as our shield. So, as this
Psalm says, "Rejoice, shout and be joyful!".
For further consideration,
please read Psalm 55.
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