Book The Essentials of
Effective Prayer: page 11
Scripture: Psalm 5:1-3
I found some gems in
the word/Word studies I did related to this passage, so instead of answering
the questions on this page, I'm going to summarize what I learned as I studied
the words in this passage. Then I'll end with a personal paraphrase of David's prayer. FYI,
if you'd like a copy of my word/Word study, let me know and I'll send it
along to you privately, as it is too hard to format it for this post.
David knew his God and
called Him by Name: Yehovah (LORD),
King, 'elohiym (God)
Application:
Continue
to familiarize myself with the Names of God when I pray because His Names
reflect His character, Who He is, the One true God Whom I can trust.
David is
assured that God hears.
- The Lord hears (shama 8085) (Psalm 4:3)
- My voice shall Thou hear (shama 8085) (Psalm 5:3)
- If you use, BlueLetterBible http://www.blueletterbible.org/, just type in Psalm 5:1-3, click on the word hears, and you will see the passages of Scripture where this Hebrew word for hears is used of both man hearing God and God hearing man. This two-way communication is what we call prayer, which is translated palal in the Scripture.
Also,
David is assured that God hears not only his words but also his
murmurings.
I found this discovery so comforting.
Hagiyg (1901) means utterings, murmurings
I could
not find meditation in Vine's Expository
Dictionary, but I did find to meditate
(1897) which means to "moan, growl,
utter, speak. Onomatopoetic term
reflecting the sighing and low sounds one may make while musing." You can also use the BlueLetterBible to find
the various uses of this word to meditate.
Biyn (995) to consider
This word
means to discern. Wow! God can discern my murmurings when I pray.
Application:
I believe
that He hears even when I see no evidence of His answering my prayer because I
walk by faith, not by sight.
Additionally, even when I'm just "talking to myself,"
murmuring, uttering, unsure of what I mean, confused, overwhelmed in muddled
thought, God can discern those meditations/groanings (Romans 8:26).
David
ordered his prayer in the morning.
The phrase
to set in order is often used when
arranging battle lines, arranging a table, arranging or setting words in order
as in an argument or rebuttal.
To arrange
in order makes it possible to compare one thing with another.
So to show
the superiority of God over the idols, the prophet ask, "To whom then will
ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye
compare unto him?" (Isaiah 40:18)
Application:
Begin my
day by calling on the specific Names of God.
I'm setting the table, so to speak, for the Lord to provide the food for
my day. Then I can taste and see that
the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
David then
watched to see what the Lord would do.
Tsaphah(6822) to look about like a watchman
Application:
This is
the hard part for me :-) Many times I
want action sooner than later. But this
waiting builds trust and faith in my life, and I am not waiting just twiddling
my thumbs. But I have the table set and
am eagerly waiting, like a watchman, for the Lord to act or call me to act
alongside Him.
My
paraphrase of this Psalm:
- Listen to my utterances that make sense (to me), Jehovah, and discern those things I'm murmuring that don't make sense.
Hearken 7181 unto
the voice 6963 of
my cry 7773,
my King 4428,
and my God 430:
for unto thee will I pray6419 .
- Be attentive to my peculiar cry for help (used only this one time in Scripture), because I know You by Name, by Your character as my sovereign King Who rules in my heart and as Elohim (the plurality/Ttrinity), Creator and Judge of the universe (Gen 1:1-2). I will pray [palal (see Day 3's comments)] only to You, addressing the right Person when I pray, not flippantly saying I am praying but praying to You.
My voice 6963 shalt
thou hear 8085 in
the morning1242,
O LORD 3068;
in the morning 1242 will
I direct 6186 [my
prayer] unto thee, and will look up 6822 .
- I will start my day every morning in an orderly manner. Just like I set the table to prepare it for receiving food, I will set my day to prepare it for receiving food from You. I mean, who else compares to You? After this morning preparation, I will be like a watchman, eagerly awaiting to behold what You are doing this day.
Linda
Moderator
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