Psalm 5

For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by the flute.

1 O Lord, hear me as I pray;
    pay attention to my groaning.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
    for I pray to no one but you.
3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
    you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
    for you hate all who do evil.
6 You will destroy those who tell lies.
    The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.

7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
    I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
    or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
    Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with flattery.[a]
10 O God, declare them guilty.
    Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
    that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12 For you bless the godly, O Lord;
    you surround them with your shield of love.

Footnotes

  1. 5:9 Greek version reads with lies. Compare Rom 3:13.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Questions:

  1. Verse 1: As David writes this psalm, his prayers are like groans. Under what circumstances are prayers the best prayers you can offer?
  2. Verse 2: Why is praying to someone as God and King helpful?
  3. Verse 2: David says he is praying to no-one but the Lord. What does this say to you about David’s state of mind?
  4. Verse 3: David describes a morning routine of making vows and requests to the Lord and waiting. Why might that be a successful morning routine?
  5. Verse 4: Assuming that David is suffering at the hands of those he considers to be wicked, what reassurance is he drawing from his affirmations in this verse?
  6. Verses 5 & 6: what do these verses tell us of God’s justice and judgement? Why is it important that we leave the administration of judgement and justice to the Lord?
  7. Verse 7: David already has a faith in the God of justice. What is his confidence in his own position based on?
  8. Verse 8: To be safe, what help does David need from the Lord?
  9. Verses 9 & 10: David returns to complain about the deeds of his enemies. How comfortable do you feel asking God to exercise his judgement and justice on your enemies?
  10. Verse 11: In what ways can these statements be both prayers and statements of faith?
  11. Verse 12: How does love act as a shield?
  12. Verse 12: What have you learned from this psalm about handling challenging people and times more constructively?