The Morning Watch

“Early morning prayer is where the early bird gets the word.”-JSP

In Psalm 5:3 King David says, “In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will direct my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”

David’s thoughts and the desire of his heart is the presence of God, he begins this psalm with a plea for God to give ear to his words and to consider his groaning. In his distress he says, “Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.”

David goes to God before the morning sacrifices, even before sunrise God is in his thoughts. There is something transformational about God’s presence before sunrise. I love meeting with Him in the early morning, the sense of His presence sets me in a good frame of mind.

I have found the most precious treasures speaking and praying the Scriptures back to Him before dawn. I’ve often said that I’m at my best when the Son rises within my heart before the sun rises in the sky.

Waiting for God’s Word

In verse 3 when David says, “In the morning I will direct my prayer to You and eagerly watch,” he uses the Hebrew verb “tsāphāh” which means “to keep watch.” I’m reminded of Psalm 130:6 where the Psalmist cries, “my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

Many have longed for God to speak, waiting with great anticipation for a word from the Lord, more than those who keep watch through the night anticipate the rising of the sun, a beautiful word picture that illustrates his longing for God in the morning.

Like the Prophet Habakkuk who laid out his complaint before the Lord and eagerly waited on a word from the Lord; “I will take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1).

Again David exclaims “Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.” – Psalm 108:2-3

Passion for God in the Morning

An exuberant start to any day to say the least, David cannot bridle his passion for God, he’s all in pursuing the lover of his soul. Elsewhere David says my zeal for your house consumes me, a Prophetic foreshadowing of the passion of Jesus for the house of God.

David, like Jesus in his earthly walk was with God early and often. The morning watch connects us with God where his desires become ours, his purpose becomes our priority, his Spirit directs our focus and Ignites a passion for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

God’s grace is imparted in our time with him both individually and corporately when praying together. It is in the morning when much of of God’s willingness and ability to do His good pleasure is imparted to us.

Like God’s community in the wilderness, let us rise early and receive the heavenly manna to sustain us while serving him throughout the day. -JSP

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