Gospel Reflections #1131: Convicted that God will surely listen

Psalm 5:3 ‘O Lord, every morning you hear my voice; every morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and wait in hope.’

This is a truly beautiful passage in which David, whilst facing difficulties and anxieties, sings of his attitude of offering prayer to God with unwavering trust at the ‘morning’—the start of the day—and waiting in hope for His answer. 

David, who devoted his top priority of the day to God, chose the ‘morning’—before the day’s activities and the challenges he faced (such as attacks from enemies and anxiety) began—as a time for prayer.

This expresses a strong resolve not to begin the day with anxiety or trouble, but to start it with hope and peace by looking to God first.

We too should, like David, place God as the top priority in our lives.

The Hebrew word for ‘preparing’—which refers to setting one’s heart right before God—is the same expression used in the Old Testament when ‘preparing and arranging sacrifices’ on the altar. It signifies a sincere and earnest attitude of prayer, where one does not merely string words together on a whim, but rather arranges one’s heart and thoughts as an ‘offering’ before God. 

And after offering a prayer in which he trusted and waited for God’s answer, David did not simply end up in despair, but took the action of ‘waiting expectantly (lifting up his eyes and keeping watch)’.

This expresses a faith that believes God will certainly listen to one’s prayer and provide the best possible answer, and that one continues to wait with expectation, like a watchman.

We, too, face various stresses and unexpected troubles every day.

Psalm 5:3 offers a timeless secret to prayer: ‘Before allowing circumstances to dominate your heart, first tune your heart to God first thing in the morning; by trusting and entrusting yourself to Him, you will gain a peace that transcends all circumstances.’

If we, too, begin our day in the right way, we will be more aware of God’s presence throughout the day and can go to bed at night with a sense of calm and assurance.

Morning and evening prayers are the two pillars that support Christians as they navigate life’s difficulties.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.