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Illustration of King David lifting his hands in prayer at sunrise as a beam of morning light shines through his window, illustrating Psalm 5's plea, 'In the morning You hear my voice.'

Psalm 5

A Morning Plea

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Each morning David wakes up and talks to God first thing. He asks God to hear his prayer and lead him in the right direction for the day. God is a King who doesn't like evil — but He welcomes those who love and trust Him.

  1. 1Listen to my words, O LORD; consider my sighing.
  2. 2Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
  3. 3In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.
  4. 4You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell.
  5. 5The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong.
  6. 6You destroy those who tell lies; the bloodthirsty and deceitful man the LORD abhors.
  7. 7But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple.
  8. 8Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies— make straight Your way before me.
  9. 9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.
  10. 10Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against You.
  11. 11But 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.
  12. 12For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.

What it means

Starting the day with God is a wonderful habit. We can bring Him everything — our hopes, our fears, our plans — and then watch and wait to see what He does. God surrounds those who love Him with His favor like a shield.

A little prayer

Good morning, Lord! I bring You my whole day before it even begins. Lead me in the right way and surround me with Your favor. I'm watching and waiting to see what You'll do. Amen.

Memory verse

“In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.”

Psalm 5:3 (BSB)

It turns prayer into a habit with a time attached, which is how habits actually survive.

Talk about it

Questions with no single right answer — for a family table or a Sunday-school circle.

  1. David talks to God first thing in the morning. What is the first thing you usually think about when you wake up?
  2. He asks God to lead him in a straight path for the day ahead. What would a crooked path look like?
  3. The psalm is honest that some people are unkind. Is it alright to tell God about people who have hurt you?
  4. What is one thing you would like God's help with tomorrow morning?

Try this

The morning three

Agree on three short sentences to say together each morning this week: one thank you, one sorry, one please. Write them on paper and stick it by the kettle or the breakfast table.

You will need: Paper, tape, a pen.

Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB)