Psalm 5

1. 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.

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Outline

1. David’s Morning Approach to God (vv. 1–3)

• David’s earnest plea — “Give ear… consider my meditation.”
  He comes with sincerity, not empty words.
• Personal relationship — “My King, and my God.”
  David acknowledges God’s authority and covenant care.
• Morning devotion — “In the morning will I direct my prayer… and will look up.”
  A model of beginning the day with expectation, dependence, and hope.
  • Several passages make it clear that David’s prayer time is in the early morning.
    • David awakens early to the music of a harp and psaltery.
      • Psalm 57:8
        • Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
    • He also says he will seek God early because of his hunger and thirst for God.
      • Psalm 63:1
        • O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
  • If God is the first thing on our minds in the morning, He can direct our entire day according to His will.

Teaching emphasis:
Prayer is not rushed; it is directed, intentional, and expectant. We should see morning prayer as aligning the heart with God’s will.

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2. The Character of God as the Basis for Prayer (vv. 4–6)

• God’s holiness — He takes no pleasure in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with Him.
• God’s justice — The foolish, deceitful, and violent are opposed by God.
  • The Hebrew word for foolish here is halal and refers to someone shining, or boasting.
    • The psalmist is saying a proud and boasting person will not stand in God’s sight, as pride always comes before destruction and before a fall/
      • Proverbs 16:18
        • Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
  • The English translation mentions “leasing” twice-here and in Psalm 4:2.
    • The Hebrew word kazab refers to a person speaking deceit or falsehoods with the mouth.
• Moral clarity — God’s character defines right and wrong, not human opinion.

Teaching emphasis:
David’s confidence in prayer flows from who God is. Holiness is not merely a doctrine—it shapes how we live and how we pray.

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3. The Worship of the Righteous (v. 7)

• Approaching God through mercy — “In the multitude of thy mercy.”
  Even the righteous come by grace, not merit.
• Reverent worship — “In thy fear will I worship.”
  Awe and humility mark true worship.
• Orientation toward God’s presence — “Toward thy holy temple.”
  David’s heart is turned toward God’s dwelling.
  • At this time, there was no temple in Jerusalem. Solomon would build the temple after David’s death.
  • This temple would be patterned after the heavenly temple where God is worshipped in heaven.
    • Hebrews 9:23-24
      •  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
      • For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Teaching emphasis:
Worship is both bold (because of mercy) and reverent (because of God’s holiness). This balance is essential for spiritual maturity.

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4. A Prayer for Guidance in a Hostile World (v. 8)

• Request for righteous leading — “Lead me… make thy way straight.”
• Awareness of enemies — David seeks God’s direction because opposition is real.
• Dependence on God’s path — Only God can make the way clear.

Teaching emphasis:
God’s guidance is not merely for comfort but for protection and integrity in the face of pressure, temptation, or hostility.

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5. The Nature of the Wicked (vv. 9–10)

• Corrupt speech — No faithfulness; flattery; deceit.
• Corrupt hearts — “Their inward part is very wickedness.”
• Corrupt influence — “Their throat is an open sepulchre.”
  • A throat being an open sepulcher is a metaphor for the negative words of the wicked being like an open grave and leading to death. Christ compares the Pharisees to white sepulchers full of dead men’s bones.
    • Mathew 23:27
      • Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
• David’s imprecatory plea — Asking God to judge rebellion and uphold righteousness.

Teaching emphasis:
This section helps learners understand biblical lament and imprecatory prayer. David is not seeking personal revenge but appealing to God’s justice.

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6. The Joy and Protection of the Righteous (vv. 11–12)

• Joy rooted in trust — “Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice.”
• God’s defense — “Thou defendest them.”
• Love for God’s name — Joy flows from relationship, not circumstances.
• Blessing and favor — God surrounds the righteous “as with a shield.”
  • David discovers throughout his life that following righteous leads to God’s favor, and God’s favor protects a person like a shield encircling him.

Teaching emphasis:
The psalm ends with assurance: God protects, blesses, and surrounds His people. This is the believer’s confidence in every season.

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Key Themes to Highlight

• Morning devotion — beginning the day with prayer and expectation.
• Holiness of God — the foundation for righteous living and confident prayer.
• Contrast between righteous and wicked — two paths, two outcomes.
• God’s protection — His favor is a shield around His people.
• Mercy and reverence — the right posture for worship.

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Discussion Questions

• What does David’s morning prayer teach us about starting our day with God?
• How does God’s holiness shape the way we pray and live?
• Why is it important to approach God through His mercy rather than our own goodness?
• What does it mean for God to “compass” the righteous with favor as a shield?

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