Psalm 5

O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.  (Psalms 5:3, ESV)

I have portions of this Psalm memorized so this morning when I read it in the ESV the difference in the wording really jarred me.  Here is verse 3 in the NKJV...

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.

I have always been blessed when reading this Psalm that in the morning the Psalmist looked to His God...he directed his voice to His God...I always assumed the words and “I will look up” meant when He prayed he looked “up” or heavenward to where his God was.  It was a good reminder to me to focus on things above and not on my circumstances.   The ESV says, “I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”

I looked up the word watch and now I love both versions because both the NKJV and the ESV remind me to direct my voice heavenward in the morning but the ESV tells me to watch and wait for God to answer!   Such a good reminder to me...God answers prayers...He does hear my cry.  My faith is encouraged as I watch and “see” him answer.

But to You I have cried out, O LORD,
And in the morning my prayer comes before You.—Ps 88:13

I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.—Psalm 119:147

I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.—Habakkuk 2:1

My soul waits for the Lord
More than those who watch for the morning--
Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.—Ps 130:6