In the Morning

Psalm 5 In the Morning Introduction: Psalm 5 is a morning prayer. As David says, "Oh LORD in the morning..." As I said last week God's people for centuries have taken their queues from Psalm 4 and Psalm 5 for evening and morning prayer. At evening we are contemplating the day, what has taken place, how we have trusted the Lord, how we have failed to trust the Lord.. as we lay down to sleep we are putting our life and all that it encompasses into the hands of God. As we wake to a new day morning prayer prepares us for action. This again is the rhythm set out in scripture - evening and morning (Read in the Genesis account also, Evening and morning were the first day...and so on) If you think about what it is to pray the Psalms, evening and morning to enter into the rhythm of the world, God's world, this is incredibly powerful narrative that we are attaching our own lives to. I was thinking about the Psalms all week, and it seems, based on Psalms, that God intends our lives to be one great prayer or song of grateful love in response to his unfailing love. I want the testimony of my life to be that - one resounding Hallelujah to the God who loves me and washed me from my sins with his own blood... Now we often talk about the new day, God's new mercies, a fresh start. It's almost like each day is the first day of creation, we wake to a world that God has created and that he sustains by the word of his power... we wake to speak to the God who has already acted and has already spoken. We who are in Christ can have the same experience that Adam and Eve had with God in the garden, unhindered fellowship... each day is filled with great potential for good and for seeking God's kingdom, but because of sins presence that is still in the world each day is also filled with great potential for evil, to move away from God through sin, and unbelief, to bring more destruction upon God's creation to be complicit in the sin and evil we see all around us,... and so, like David in this Psalm, we cry out to God to take our lives, the stuff of our lives, and to make something of it, to direct it to honor him.... 1. The MORNING prayer...of first importance vs.1-3 1. "In the morning ... in the morning ...". One of the ways the Hebrews emphasize something is by repeating it. If they say it once, they mean it, of course, but if they say it twice, they really mean it (and if they say it three times it is ultimate, like "holy, holy, holy" is the Lord; which means that He is ultimate in holiness. So the fact that David repeats "in the morning" here shows the emphasis that he put upon it. It was "in the morning" that his prayer would rise up to God. 2. But it is not only that (although it would be enough!). The words "order my prayer" or some of your translations say "I prepare a sacrifice" is one word in Hebrew the word "Arak". The word literally means "to set in a row or arrange" In Hebrew this is the same root word which describes how the priests "laid in order" the morning sacrifice, which was the very first act of the day in Israel. So David is saying that just as the priests "ordered" the morning sacrifice as their first duty of the day, HIS first duty of the was going to be to let God hear his voice in prayer! 1. Now of course we can pray anytime of day and Paul even encourages us to pray without ceasing which we should also do, to be in constant communication with God, continually bringing our request to him and asking for wisdom and strength. But there is something so right about making God and our connecting with him first priority of the day. As we say, first things first...God the one who created us in love, sustains us by the word of his power, redeemed us by his grace.. God the one from whom every good and perfect gift comes to our lives, should he not have first priority so what is your first thing? What is the thing of most importance to you in a day?? 2. Eugene Peterson says, "a sacrifice is the material means of assembling a life before God in order to let God work with it. Sacrifice isn't something we do for God, but simply setting out the stuff of life for him to do something with. On the alter the sacrificial offering is changed into what is pleasing and acceptable to God. In the act of offering we give up ownership and control, and watch to see what God will do with it. With a deep awareness that the God who speaks life into us also listens when we speak, we put into words the difficulties and delights that we foresee in the hours ahead. We assemble fears and hopes, apprehensions and anticipations, and place them on the altar as an offering: I prepare a sacrifice and watch." 1. Waiting in prayer is a disciplined refusal to act before God acts. 2. Contemplation #1 1. Thought - "Oh Lord, in the morning you hear my voice" - my voice is known by God... There is this continual idea in scripture about being known by God... emphasized again and again..he knows us personally, and cares deeply for us. When you call, he hears you, he knows your voice. -Let's take a moment to speak to Lord to let him hear our voices calling out to him. Like David, lay it all out before the Lord - whatever is going on in your heart and mind..Let him hear your voice speaking to him now. 2. Scripture - "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.....How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you." -Psalm 139 3. Confession - Lord we take you for granted. When we seek you, we ask for your hand of blessing and not for your presence...Lord Jesus we neglect your gracious offer to us, to come to you and to take upon ourselves your burden that is easy and is light. Lord we are guilty of seeking our own kingdoms and our own righteousness. Confess to the Lord 4. Prayer - (Pray Aloud Together) God, you are our Father, you love us, you know us by name, you have called us to obtain salvation through your Son Jesus Christ. For this we are truly grateful. Lord help us to love you in return and to seek you, to know you, and to love you better. Lord we present ourselves to you today, as your servants to do all that is in your heart to do. May we be agents for you and for your kingdom. Lord take the mess that is our lives and make them something that brings glory and honor to you......"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 3. Contemplating God's Character vs.4-7 1. As David lays out his heart, his concerns, the things of the day, before the Lord and waits to hear, he begins to contemplate the character of God -"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." - God is absolutely pure in his being and God requires absolute moral purity from those that call on him. 1. The question is, if this is true, how can God abide with us, how can he hear our prayers; for all of us stand guilty before him? Not only am I guilty of each one of these characteristics, (evil, pride, deceit, lying, vengeful), but each day is potential for me to do more evil. No wonder Jesus taught us to pray deliver us from evil - evil from without and within. 2. David answers, "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... 1. First, David says, It is only by the steadfast love of the Lord that we enter his presence.. I say this almost every week, but If David was assured of God's steadfast, unfailing love, how much more should we be? We know of the Cross, the ultimate display of God's unfailing love to sinful humans, who sin, and get it wrong and fail and need new mercy not just each morning but every hour... It is only through God's love for us in Christ that he abides with us that he hears our prayers. 1. We should take a queue from Psalm 5. I encourage you to speak the truth of the Gospel to yourself each morning.. David Prayed in Psalm 143 - "Let the Morning bring me word of your unfailing Love"... It can be as simple as - "We are more flawed and sinful than we ever dared believe, yet we are more loved and accepted than we ever dared hope at the same time." 1. Or "My one comfort both in life and death is that I am not my own but I belong both body and soul to God my savior and to Jesus Christ." 4. Contemplation # 2 1. Confession - Lets take a moment to Confess our sin. Yes there is sin in the world, yes there is temptation out there, but there is also sin in our own hearts, sins of doubt and fear, sins of unbelief and anger, sins concerning things we have done and things we have left undone. 1. Let us confess our sins whether physically, mental, or spiritual, before the Lord. (Take a moment to do that) 2. Now let us recount the Gospel, the good news of God's gracious acceptance of us and his forgiveness for all of our sins. (Take a moment to do that) 3. Scripture - "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 4. Scripture - "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 5. Prayer - (Pray Aloud Together) Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved thee with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in thy will, and walk in thy ways, to the glory of thy Name. Amen. 5. David's Great Desire vs.8-12 1. David wants more than just emotional reminiscence of God's steadfast love, he wants to be lead by God, he wants God to control his life. He prays in light of God's steadfast love to enter his presence that he would also be lead by the Lord.... 1. How does this take place in our lives? How do we go from simple gratitude to fearful worship? - Sin is still so tempting to us, to satisfy our own desires, to give way to pride, to selfishness..etc... David says it is by the fear of the Lord...This seems like a strange concept, only the fear of the Lord can motivate us to holiness.. and even as I say this I know for myself that I have often equated the fear of the Lord with his wrath and judgment - but to Fear the Lord as a Christian that can't possibly be what it means because those who are Christ have been saved from the judgment and wrath of God because of the all sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ.. so what does it mean to fear the Lord? 1. Tim Keller writes, "To be in the fear of the Lord is not to be scared of the Lord, even though the Hebrew word has overtones of respect and awe. 'Fear' in the Bible means to be overwhelmed, to be controlled by something. To fear the Lord is to be overwhelmed with wonder before the greatness of God and his love. It means that, because of his bright holiness and magnificent love, you find him 'fearfully beautiful.' That is why the more we experience God's grace and forgiveness, the more we experience a trembling awe and wonder before the greatness of all that he is and has done for us. Fearing him means bowing before him out of amazement at his glory and beauty. Paul speaks of the love of Christ 'constraining or controlling' us (2 Corinthians 5:14). What is it that most motivates and moves you? Is it the desire for success? The pursuit of some achievement? The need to prove yourself to your parents? The need for respect from your peers? Are you largely driven by anger against someone or some people who have wronged you? Paul says that if any of these things is a greater controlling influence on you than the reality of God's love for you, you will not be in a position to serve others unselfishly. Only out of the fear of the Lord Jesus will we be liberated to serve one another. 2. I believe that this is what Thomas Chalmers meant when he talked about the expulsive power of a greater affection - The only reason to rise up early, to lay everything out before God, to wait upon him, to think on his holiness and to ask to be lead by him in fearful worship is because we find him wonderful, because we believe that God is the most desirable thing in all the universe and that everything else pales in comparison with his beauty. For some of us, we believe that, but we don't know it, and haven't experienced it personally.. 6. Contemplation #3 1. Thought - We hear it again and again - nothing satisfies like Jesus, God is a fountain of living water if you drink from him you'll never thirst again, that in his presence is fulness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures that go on and on. Or maybe some of us know, that we know that the Bible is true that Jesus is the only way of salvation, and yet you fill disconnected, you feel like an outsider looking in, you see it in others, you hear it in the way they talk about Jesus and faith and hope and love, but you haven't experienced it for yourself... 2. Confession - (Say Aloud Together) Lord we believe that you are all that you say you are, we believe that you satisfy the longing soul, and the hungry soul you fill with good things. - Help our unbelief. 1. If you long for greater affections for Christ, confess that to the Lord. If you don't have affection for Christ, and don't long for more, confess that to the Lord. 3. Thought - It is well to have longings, and the more intense they are the better. The LORD will satisfy soul-longings, however great and all-absorbing they may be. Let us greatly long, for God will greatly give. We are never in a right state of mind when we are contented with ourselves and are free from longings. Desires for more grace and groanings which cannot be uttered are growing pains, and we should wish to feel them more and more. Blessed Spirit, make us sigh and cry after better things and for more of the best things! -C.H Spurgeon 4. Scripture - "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" -Romans 8:32 5. Prayer - (Pray Aloud Together) Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Closing Prayer -Father, now may our sincere worship now be directed toward you, not only in words, but in deed and in truth. For Jesus' sake. Amen