Psalm 5 - A Morning Prayer

Psalm 5

For the choir director; for flute accompaniment. A Psalm of David.

Give ear to my words, O Lord,

consider my meditation.

 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:

for unto thee will I pray.

 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord;

in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:

neither shall evil dwell with thee.

 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:

thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing:

the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:

and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;

make thy way straight before my face.

 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth;

their inward part is very wickedness;

their throat is an open sepulchre;

they flatter with their tongue.

 Destroy thou them, O God;

let them fall by their own counsels;

cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions;

for they have rebelled against thee.

 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:

let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:

let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous;

with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. KJV

This Psalm really doesn't need any commentary.  It is the most famous of the morning Psalms and is a favorite one to sing.  I first remember it being sung by Pastor Joseph Garlington in his magnificent baritone voice, and marveling at the beauty of the Psalm.  How beautiful it is to look up to the Lord in the morning and lift our prayers to Him.

Hebrew poetry has a compare and contrast structure rather than a rhyming cadence.  Note how the psalmist compares the righteous man that rises early to bless the Lord with the evil man who causes bloodshed and deceives many. The actions of the two kinds of people are compared, and then the response of the Lord to each is given.  Take care then, that you live a life of worship instead of a life of wickedness, so that you may be blessed by the Lord, and will be protected by His shield.

Bonus: (It's not Joseph, but it's the same arrangement- DB)
Psalm 5 - Chuck Girard with lyricshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0R7X1rigg