Psalm 5:2

Note: Calvin in his commentary objects to a possible translation at the end of this verse of “when I pray to thee” versus “unto thee will I pray.” I looked up a number of our current translations and did not find this to be the case in anything I have. But, if you happen to have a version that translates it so then take notice that Calvin objects based on the grounds that it loses context and leads us away from David’s intent to reassure himself with who God is.

“Give heed to the voice of my cry…,”
¨      […] the word cry, which signifies a loud and sonorous utterance of the voice, serves to mark the earnestness of his desire. David did not cry out as it were into the ears of one who is deaf; but the vehemence of his grief, and his inward anguish, burst forth into his cry… After David has said in general, that God hears his words, he seems, immediately after, for the purpose of being more specific, to divide them into two kinds, calling the one obscure or indistinct moanings, and the other loud crying… If, then, at any time we are either backward to pray, or our devout affections begin to lose their fervor, we must here seek for arguments to quicken and urge us forward. JC
¨      […] crying hath a voice – a soul moving eloquence; coming from our heart it reaches God’s heart. Ah! my brothers and sisters, sometimes we cannot put our prayers into words: they are nothing but a cry. To a loving Father His children’s cries are music, and they have a magic influence which His heart cannot resist. CHS
¨      As if he had said… I speak with deep anxiety and concern, but with a failing utterance; and I cannot express myself, nor make myself understood as I wish. Do thou, therefore, understand from my feelings more than I am able to express in words. And, therefore, I add my cry; that what I cannot express in words for thee to hear, I may by my cry signify to thine understanding. Martin Luther
¨      [This] seems to intend more than groans or words, even a loud outcry, as of a person in great distress; such as the strong crying of Christ, in the days of His flesh, when on the cross, forsaken by God, deserted by His friends, and surrounded by His enemies; and such, in some measure, was the case of David. JG
¨      His prayer was a cry…, which denotes fervency of affection and importunity of expression; and such effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avail much and do wonders. MH

“[...] my King and my God, for to you I will pray.”
¨      […] by calling God his King and his God, he intended to stir himself up to entertain more lively and favorable hopes with respect to the issue of his afflictions, let us learn to apply these titles to a similar use, namely, for the purpose of making ourselves more familiar with God. At the close, he testifies that he does not sullenly gnaw the bit, as unbelievers are accustomed to do; but directs his groaning to God: for they who, disregarding God, either fret inwardly or utter their complaints to men, are not worthy of being regarded by Him. JC
¨      It is the part and duty of a king to answer the just and humble desires of his subjects. To thee alone will I direct all my prayers, and therefore from thee alone I expect succor and relief. MP
¨      [These titles] are the pith and marrow of the plea. Here is a grand argument why God should answer prayer – because He is our King and our God. We are not aliens to Him: He is the King of our country. Kings are expected to hear the pleas of their own people. We are not strangers to Him; we are His worshippers, and He is our God: ours by covenant, by promise, by oath, by blood. Here David expresses his declaration that he will seek to God, and to God alone. God is to be the only object of worship: the only resource of our soul in times of need. CHS

Personal Summary:

Once again we see what a wonderful God we serve. Unable to make our petition to the Lord as we should or might, we send up our anguish, our emotional pleas to Him and He hears us. He is moved by those things that cause us anguish in our lives. We may with all confidence make our case to God and expect that He hears the prayers of His children and even our cries. He hears our emotion, our deep anxiety and concern over the various issues in our lives. With fervency we are heard by our God and He considers these cries as prayers and replies.

We are assured that He hears our prayers because of who He is. Without the designation of Him being our King and our God our prayers are worth nothing. Without that designation we might as well grab any man we run across on the street and make our cry for help. But our sovereign God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for our sake and works on our behalf to do what is best for us in our lives. Oftentimes we get in difficult times in our lives and we can actually feel the zeal melting away from our hearts. We find ourselves sinning in ways we are no longer accustomed to and in shame we withdraw from the Lord. We seem to think, as Adam did in the Garden, that we can hide from Him; or worse yet that we should, that we have cause to hide from Him. But as Calvin pointed out it is on the basis of whom He is that we make our pleas and expect our deep cries to be heard no matter how bad we feel our lives have become. It is important for us to constantly remind ourselves that He is our King and our God who is so devoted to and connected with His people that there is nothing we cannot take to Him and that there is nothing that escapes His notice.

Cast your cares before the Lord and when lost for words, when hopeless in life, know that He hears you even when unable to express your heartfelt petitions to Him specifically. What amazing assurances God gives us in all facets of our lives! Open your heart to Him who is able to grant you the desires therein and know that He hears you always. Amen.