Psalm 5:1-3

Psalm 5:1-3

Thoughts from Dayna Spaulding

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Swipe to read today’s written devo!

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“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.”

Psalm 5:1-3

QOP- Behind the Scenes
Slide

What first stood out to me in today’s passage was the final phrase, “in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you.” In the New International Version, it’s worded, “in the morning I lay my requests before you.” So, which is it? Was David bringing a sacrifice to the Lord or bringing his requests to him?

Slide

Turns out, it’s both! Prayer is a form of sacrifice. And not just prayers of adoration or confession, but even our prayers of petition to God. When I think of sacrifice, I often tend to think of a more tangible offering, like money or even the animal sacrifices required in ancient Israel. But sacrifice to God is not limited to these. In fact, Proverbs 15:8 tells us that God prefers sincere prayers over other forms of sacrifice that are given insincerely: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.”

Slide

David would have been very familiar with the duties of the temple priests in Israel. And, just as the priests began each day of worship with the morning sacrifice of a lamb, David viewed the laying of his requests before God as his morning sacrifice. As a man after God’s own heart, David surely complied with the various material sacrifices required by the law. But he understood that God wanted the sacrifice of his time, devotion, and dependence as well.

QOP- Make it Real
Slide

Prayer is divine communication with God. That concept is as shockingly simple as it is mysterious. We speak to God, and He hears us. Not only that, but He answers! David was confident that God heard his voice. And, from the psalm, it sounds like David was equally confident that God would answer, as he wrote, “I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”

Slide

Have you ever thought about your daily prayers as sacrifices to God? As we enter into a new devotional series on prayer, it’s a good time to take inventory of our current prayer attitudes and habits:

-Do you approach Him with your requests as if He is a servant to your will, or as if you are laying your desires at the feet of the king, submitting your will to His own?

-Do you feel like your requests are an inconvenience to your Heavenly Father, or do you imagine Him anticipating and welcoming your petition?

-Do you wait to feel inspired to pray, or is it a routine part of your daily worship?

Slide

It’s incredible that we have the ability to converse with the God of the universe. But what’s even more mind blowing is that our prayers can actually be pleasing to God. He doesn’t merely allow us to approach Him or just tolerate spending time with us, He desires it– He desires us!

QOP- End in Prayer
Slide

Heavenly Father,

King of kings, I am amazed that you want to hear from me. I know you are worthy of all my affection and devotion, but sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that you could desire anything I have to give. You invite me to approach your throne with confidence to receive mercy and find grace in my time of need. Thank you for the peace I find resting in your provision and for the joy I experience in your presence. May my sacrifice be pleasing to you, Lord.

Amen

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“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.” 

 Psalm 5:1-3

Behind the Scenes

What first stood out to me in today’s passage was the final phrase, “in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you.” In the New International Version, it’s worded, “in the morning I lay my requests before you.” So, which is it? Was David bringing a sacrifice to the Lord or bringing his requests to him? 

Turns out, it’s both! Prayer is a form of sacrifice. And not just prayers of adoration or confession, but even our prayers of petition to God. When I think of sacrifice, I often tend to think of a more tangible offering, like money or even the animal sacrifices required in ancient Israel. But sacrifice to God is not limited to these. In fact, Proverbs 15:8 tells us that God prefers sincere prayers over other forms of sacrifice that are given insincerely: “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.” 

David would have been very familiar with the duties of the temple priests in Israel. And, just as the priests began each day of worship with the morning sacrifice of a lamb, David viewed the laying of his requests before God as his morning sacrifice. As a man after God’s own heart, David surely complied with the various material sacrifices required by the law. But he understood that God wanted the sacrifice of his time, devotion, and dependence as well.  

Make It Real

Prayer is divine communication with God. That concept is as shockingly simple as it is mysterious. We speak to God, and He hears us. Not only that, but He answers! David was confident that God heard his voice. And, from the psalm, it sounds like David was equally confident that God would answer, as he wrote, “I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”  

Have you ever thought about your daily prayers as sacrifices to God? As we enter into a new devotional series on prayer, it’s a good time to take inventory of our current prayer attitudes and habits:  

-Do you approach Him with your requests as if He is a servant to your will, or as if you are laying your desires at the feet of the king, submitting your will to His own?  

-Do you feel like your requests are an inconvenience to your Heavenly Father, or do you imagine Him anticipating and welcoming your petition? 

-Do you wait to feel inspired to pray, or is it a routine part of your daily worship?   

It’s incredible that we have the ability to converse with the God of the universe. But what’s even more mind blowing is that our prayers can actually be pleasing to God. He doesn’t merely allow us to approach Him or just tolerate spending time with us, He desires it– He desires us!  

Hailey Schroeder

Hailey Schroeder

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Heavenly Father,  

King of kings, I am amazed that you want to hear from me. I know you are worthy of all my affection and devotion, but sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that you could desire anything I have to give. You invite me to approach your throne with confidence to receive mercy and find grace in my time of need. Thank you for the peace I find resting in your provision and for the joy I experience in your presence. May my sacrifice be pleasing to you, Lord.  

Amen

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