In Psalm 5 David comes before the Lord with a mixture of eagerness, earnestness, expectancy and with a sense of awe at his King and God (v1-3). How do you approach God? Is it like this?

David delights in the Lord because of His righteousness and hatred of evil (v4-6). God is to be praised because of His holy displeasure of evil, He doesn’t wink at sin.

Yet David can come in faith before this God because of the multitude of His mercy (v7). He comes with both faith and fear (a sense of reverence). This right attitude causes David to come to worship not to see his own will done but to be led into God’s right paths (v8).

The Psalm ends with a contrast between the unrighteous (v9-10) and the righteous (v11-12). There is a contrast between how they use their tongues (v9&11) and what they receive from God (v10&12).

We need to closely examine the characteristics of these two groups, (v9&11) and ask ‘Which description fits my life best?’ We need to honestly talk to God about where we have unrighteousness and seek His forgiveness and cleansing which He freely gives (1 John 1 v9).