Praying Through: Psalm 5

The Psalm

Psalm 5 (CSB)
For the choir director: with the flutes. A psalm of David.

1 Listen to my words, LORD; consider my sighing.

2 Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you.

3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you.

5 The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers.

6 You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors violent and treacherous people.

7 But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you.

8 LORD, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me.

9 For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues.

10 Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you.

12 For you, LORD, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.

The Prayer

My King and my God,

My heart grieves. My soul groans. I am in need of your Spirit.

My own pride has kept me far from you. My own arrogance has caused you to look away. Yet, I am in need of your holiness—the very thing that keeps me far is the very thing that keeps me close.

Clean my lips. Give me your heart. Remove this poison from my throat. Smooth the rawness and ease the pain.

Let me speak life into everyone and everything around me. I don’t want my tongue to be a filthy dagger. I want it to be a tool that lifts the lowly to godly; sin to righteous; and hopelessness to joy everlasting.

Oh Lord, teach me your songs. Let me learn the songs you sing over me. I will gladly sing them over your people.

Cover me. Protect me. Keep me in your hands.

In your Son’s mighty name I pray, Amen.