Psalm 5

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Psalm 5
• Sermon
• Prayer

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Sermon Title: Learning to Pray from the Morning Psalm

Scripture: Psalm 5

I. The Five Stanzas of Psalm 5

A. Stanza 1 — Psalm 5:1–3: A Personal Cry to God

1. The language "my king and my God" echoes Thomas's confession in John 20 — both are cries of covenant faith
2. Derek Kidner: the repeated my (covenant relationship) gives the prayer a firm footing
3. Coming to God in and through Christ gives the believer absolute confidence of being heard

B. Stanza 2 — Psalm 5:4–6: The Holiness of God Contrasted with Wickedness

1. Heightening of language: the wicked → the boastful and evildoers → the bloodthirsty and deceitful
2. Heightening of God's response: no pleasure → hatred → destruction
3. James Boice: drawing near to a holy God produces increasing sensitivity to sin; this is evidence of true prayer

C. Stanza 3 — Psalm 5:7–8: David Distinguishes Himself from the Wicked by Mercy, Not Merit

1. The Hebrew word hesed (steadfast love, covenant faithfulness) is the basis of David's access to God
2. Like the tax collector in the parable, David beats his chest and pleads for mercy rather than claiming superiority — cf. Luke 18
3. The common objection that Christians think themselves better than others is answered here: the believer's confidence rests entirely on God's covenant faithfulness

D. Stanza 4 — Psalm 5:9–10: The Filth of a Fallen World and the First Imprecatory Statement in the Psalter

1. Paul quotes Psalm 5:9 in Romans 3:13 as part of his summary of universal human fallenness — Romans 3:10–18
2. Drawing near to a holy God in prayer means recognizing how truly fallen the world is
3. Imprecatory prayers are not personal vendettas but righteous cries against general evil — equivalent to the early church's prayer Maranatha (Come, Lord Jesus), calling Christ the Judge to crush wickedness and establish righteousness

E. Stanza 5 — Psalm 5:11–12: Comfort and Protection in the Almighty

1. A petition for all who take refuge in God to rejoice
2. "You cover him with favor as with a shield"
3. Martin Luther, on his way to face the Cardinal at Augsburg, responded to taunts about losing protection: "Under the shelter of Heaven" — reflecting Psalm 5:11–12

II. Three Ways This Psalm Teaches Us to Pray

(Drawing on James Montgomery Boice's exposition of verses 1–3)

A. Pray with Urgency

1. The imperatives of Psalm 5:1–3 — give ear, consider, listen — reflect a bold, urgent plea before the throne of grace
2. Today is the day of salvation; we are to come boldly

B. Pray with Persistence

1. "In the morning you hear my voice" — a constant, repeated storming of the throne of grace, not a one-off prayer
2. The parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18 illustrates unrelenting petition
3. George Müller prayed for two friends for over 60 years; both were converted before his death — an encouragement to those praying for prodigal children

C. Pray with an Expectant Spirit

1. The psalmist waits expectantly, knowing the Lord will answer
2. James 1:5–6: ask in faith without doubting; God gives generously to all
3. When we pray in accordance with God's will — for wisdom, godliness, and sanctification — God will most certainly bless us with those things