JUST A LITTLE TALK WITH JESUS

Psalm 5

“1  A psalm of David. 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. . . Please look up the rest of the psalm in your own Bible.

This psalm deals with several things, but topping the list is David's prayer life.  Notice that even the king of Israel doesn’t just barge into the presence of God.  He asks God to hear him, to consider what he has to say and to listen to his cry for help.  David confidently comes before God's throne, not because he is laying claim to anything, but because he comes with a humble heart, in an attitude of prayer. “Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray."  You see, David comes to God reverently, fully understanding his own need and his unworthy condition.  He knows better than to elevate himself in the presence of God.  In fact he says: “The arrogant cannot stand in your presence.” – vs. 5.  So David comes before God with humble respect.

But David also comes with expectation.  Throughout the psalm David draws a comparison between God’s response to the arrogant and deceitful and to those who love the Lord and take refuge in Him.  God will not hear those who choose to do evil or those who pray to false gods or those who cherish sin in their hearts or those whose prayer is rooted in self-indulgence.  But the righteous find mercy and protection and blessing in His presence.  And so David says: “In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

David’s relationship with God is so close, so secure that he doesn’t even need to consider the possibility that God will not hear him.  Friend that is the way you should pray, with humility and expectation.  Oh, make no mistake, God is still God; He doesn’t have to give you what you ask for.  But you can be as confident as David that He will consider your thoughts and He will listen to your cry for help.  He may say “yes,” He may say “no,” or He may say “wait,” but He will hear you and He will respond. 

David ends his song with this encouraging word: “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. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” – vv. 11-12.  Know this: whatever way God responds will be the right way, so be glad and sing for joy.  Rejoice in the Lord who showers you with blessing and surrounds you with His grace.

--- Pastor Keith Andrews