“Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch…. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You crown him with favor as with a shield” (Psa 5:1-3, 12).
In a world of opposition and spiritual conflict, Psalm 5 teaches us where the true battle is won.
As in Psalms 3–4, Psalm 5 continues to portray the rebellion of those who have taken counsel against the anointed king (compare Psa 5:10 with Psa 1:1; 2:1-2), now expressed through David’s prayer. In his response to those who seek his life, we see a reflection of the blessed man of Psalm 1. Just as the man in Psalm 1 prospers because he “meditates day and night” upon God’s Torah (1:2-3), so David is “crowned with favor” (Psa 5:12) in connection with his early morning meditation (Psa 5:1, 3).
In the thick of battle, when our spiritual foe assails us, we often feel the urge to rush forward and defend ourselves.
In Psalm 5, David meditates on God’s lovingkindness (v. 7), and this meditation assures him of victory over the wicked who assail him (vv. 4-6, 8-10). This forms a clear parallel to the Messiah of Psalm 2, who recites the LORD’s “decree” (that is, God’s promise to the house of David) as proof that God will give him the nations as an inheritance (Psa 2:7-8).
Practically speaking, Psalm 5 teaches us the importance of meditating on God’s promises (v. 1), joined with thoughtful habits of prayer and expectation (v. 4), as a shield (v. 12) against our enemies (v. 8). While many might have urged David to use the early morning to “form the lines of a battle formation” (a typical use of the word “order” in Biblical Hebrew; see Gen 14:8; Judg 20:20, 22; 1 Sam 17:2, 8; 2 Sam 10:8; 1 Chron 12:34, 36; 19:9, 17; 2 Chron 13:3; 14:9), David chose instead to spend that precious time “preparing” his heart to meet the LORD (v. 3).
In the thick of battle, when our spiritual foe assails us, we often feel the urge to rush forward and defend ourselves. Yet because God has promised us ultimate victory, our best defense is an open Bible and time with God in prayer. Victory does not begin on the battlefield, but in humble dependence before the King.
