Day 10: An Altar in the Dark, a Watchman at Dawn
Read: Psalm 5:1–3
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
— Psalm 5:3 (ESV)
Reflect
There are two verbs at the end of this verse, and together they make a whole way of praying.
The first is "I prepare." It is the word used for arranging wood on the altar and laying out an offering in order (Leviticus 1:7–8). The picture is of a priest in the early dark, carefully setting things in place before God. David does that with his prayer. He lays it out. He brings what he has and arranges it before the Lord.
The second verb is "and watch." The word is va'atsappeh, "and I keep watch," and it is the language of a sentry on a tower, scanning the horizon for whatever is coming. Having laid out his prayer, David does not walk away. He stays at his post. He looks up. He expects something.
First the offering. Then the vigil.
Many of us do the first and skip the second. We pray, and then we move straight into the day as if nothing will come of it. We say our piece and stop expecting. But prayer in this psalm is not a message left on a machine. It is a conversation with Someone who answers, and so the one who prays keeps watch.
Prayer has two verbs: lay it out, then watch.
Across Scripture
The prophet Habakkuk takes the same posture: "I will take my stand at my watchpost… and look out to see what he will say to me" (Habakkuk 2:1). Micah says, "But as for me, I will look to the LORD" (Micah 7:7), and Psalm 130:5–6 waits "more than watchmen for the morning." Jesus himself rose "very early in the morning, while it was still dark," and went out to pray (Mark 1:35).
Sit With It
This morning, do both. Tell God plainly what you bring. Then be quiet for a moment and look up, as if something is coming.
Pray
I have laid it out. I am watching.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.