Psalm 5:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Once again, he perceives the inner call. Similarly, Anna lamented (1 Kings 1:13). He did not merely convey, ‘Listen to the sound of my prayer,’ but rather: ‘I beseech You,’ for one who prays must embody both outward humility and a sincere heart. A true supplicant does not speak with the tone of an accuser; rather, one who prays amidst adversaries often resembles an accuser more than a true petitioner. Notice how the prophet has adorned prayer, rendering it fit for acceptance. Likewise, when we approach God in prayer and desire to be heard, let us ensure that our petitions are genuine supplications rather than accusations, following the example of the Psalmist, thereby presenting our requests to God with reverence.

When we discuss the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it is essential to recognize them as one singular God. The Son, as depicted in Scripture, is often identified as King. According to the words of the Gospel, “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), the Psalmist reflects this hierarchy, stating my King, and then my God. It is important to note that he does not express it as “won’t you,” but rather as “wont ye.” The faith upheld by the Church does not endorse the existence of two or three gods, but rather affirms the Trinity as one God. This does not imply that the Trinity can be merely labeled as Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, as Savellius suggested. The Father remains distinctly the Father, the Son remains distinctly the Son, and the Holy Spirit remains distinctly the Holy Spirit, thus affirming that this Trinity is solely one God.

Motivate my actions. I will lift my prayers to You. I will seek You in the joy of enlightenment; thus, I trust that You will listen to me.

"Speak my words, Lord, and hear my calling." "Louden the voice of my prayers, O my King and my God." The Church of God and every believer devoted to a righteous life face numerous trials; however, they find strength and refuge from the tempest by persistently seeking divine assistance. The prophetic scripture guides us in this, teaching us how to continually implore and plead with the Almighty. It expresses this sentiment: "Speak my words, Lord, understand my calling, and listen to the voice of my supplication." The term 'calling' should not be taken merely in a literal sense, nor should 'ears' be interpreted as mere anatomical features.

Consider Psalms 5:2 My King and my God. The psalmist declares that God is his sole King, the one who watches over him, affirming that He is the only true God, the Creator of everything. He has turned away from idols. He expresses his intention to pray exclusively to the Lord, asking Him to listen. He states that from now on, he will direct his prayers solely to God and will not call upon any other deity, as he has done in the past.

If it is acknowledged that any creature can discern the sound of its young within a vast and diverse multitude, that a mother can identify the call of her calf amid a chorus of a thousand mooing calves, and that a ewe can hear her lamb's bleat even among countless others, how much more acutely does God perceive the plea of a righteous individual amidst the noise of numerous sinners, recognizing it as the genuine cry of His beloved child?

O Lord, listen to my words and heed my prayers. Attend to the sound of my supplication, my King and my God, for to You I will pray (Psalm 5:2-3). What can we glean from this psalm? First, we observe how David the faithful implored the Lord. Second, we should take inspiration from his example to reach out to our God in prayer. When we petition God, saying, “Hear my words, O Lord,” we must also heed and act upon what He communicates to us: “Take heed, O my people, to my law; incline your ear to the words of my mouth” (Psalm 77:1). If we desire for the Lord to listen to our prayers, we must be attentive to His directives and adhere to His commandments. Without this commitment, our prayers are ineffective.

There are three obstacles that can lead to a failure in communication between individuals. These include a request where the asker’s voice is not recognized, the request is not understood in its significance, or the request is overlooked due to distractions. Unlike humans, God listens to everything and comprehends all, always being attentive. Nevertheless, there are times when it may seem as if He does not listen, comprehend, or respond. A prayer may go unheard if the one praying is so lost in thought that they fail to grasp their own words, or if they approach prayer with such indifference that their supplications do not reach the heights. God may not understand the one making a request if the petitioner lacks clarity in what they seek, or if their requests are unbeneficial.

The sovereign ruler is indeed Christ the Lord, chosen by the Holy Spirit and God the Father. However, prior to acknowledging the Son, the prophet emphasizes that it is through Him that one reaches the Father: as stated, "no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). He does not imply to the two Persons, "Will you not approach the Father, except through Me" (Theodoret, Athanasius, Chrysostom).