Psalm 5: Give ear to my words, O Lord

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.

Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.

Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels;
Because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.

For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalms 5:1-12 (ESV)

What Do You Think?

Literally, the word "groan" means to murmur or complain. In this psalm how does David express his faith and love for God, even as he is unhappy, murmuring and complaining?

David describes the cause of his groaning as "wickedness and evil". What things has he experienced in this psalm, and how do they compare to what you've recently experienced? What has caused you to "groan" to God?

What are some practical ways in which suffering Christians can "take refuge" in God and rejoice?

How have you recently experienced God's "favor as with a shield"?

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