Warm up in pairs: What would you say is the main hindrance to Christians having a consistent prayer life?
1.What two ways was David communicating with the Lord? words and sighing 5:1
2. When words are not adequate for prayer, who prays for us with groanings? See Romans 8:26
3. Why is an understanding of the character of God important as we pray? What two titles for the Lord did David use here? King and God 5:2
4. Why do you think David repeated the time of his prayer “in the morning” twice? What is the benefit of beginning our day with prayer in the morning? It sets the focus for our day on the Lord. 5:3
5. Note the phrase “order my prayer.” The word that is translated as “order” in the NASB can also mean arrange. Could David be referring to a literal morning sacrifice or is he just making a comparison with sacrificing and prayer? Most commentators believe he is making a comparison and not referring to a literal morning sacrifice. 5:3
6. What practical application can we make to our own Quiet Time from 5:3? The fact that David used a word that can mean “order or arrange” reminds me of the importance of having our prayer requests in order and organized and not just haphazard. Having some time of notebook to write down our prayer requests can also be beneficial.
7. What did David do after he brought his requests to the Lord? He watched expectantly. The word translated “watch” comes from a root word that means to lean forward or peering into the distance. It also carries the idea of the act of looking and the mental act of interpreting what one sees. What light does Matthew 24:42 shed on this idea? 5:3
8. How important is faith in prayer? See James 1:6-7 Persistence? See Luke 18:1 Praying according to God’s will? I John 5:14-15
9. How did God’s attitude toward evil encourage David that his prayer would be answered in 5:4-6? In this particular situation, David was facing evil foes. Since he knew God’s attitude toward evil, he was convinced he would answer his prayer. In one sense we could say he was praying in accordance with God’s holiness. We should always pray according to God’s character.
10. According to I Timothy 2:3-4, what is God’s attitude toward the lost? Then how should we pray for the lost?
11. On what basis could David enter the house or presence of the Lord? 5:7
12. What two prayer requests did David pray in 5:8?
13.David gives a three-fold description of the evil in 5:9. What are they?
14. In 5:10, David makes a three-fold prayer request for the evil. What are they?
15. What requests in 5:11 does David make for the righteous? a. Let them rejoice b. Shelter them c. Let them boast about you
16. What summary statement does David make about the Lord’s treatment of the righteous in 5:12?