Faith Daily Lectio Tuesday, November 3, 2026 Evening Psalm
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 · Tuesday in the week of the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 26)
Evening Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
O LORD, my King and my God, You hear my voice. Send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 5 this evening, that I may come into Your house by Your mercy, through Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 5
To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.
1Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
8Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
11But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
12For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy” (Psalm 5:7)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee" (v. 4). "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight" (v. 5). By ourselves we could not come near Him, for our own words have not always been faithful or true.
The Gospel Still David says, "But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy" (v. 7). We come the same way, not by our own righteousness but by His mercy in Jesus. He leads us: "Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness" (v. 8). And He promises, "with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield" (v. 12). In Christ, that shield is around you tonight.
Prayer O LORD, I confess that my words today have not always been faithful. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Bring me into Your house by Your mercy, and make Your way straight before me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
When deceit and hostility press in, it can be hard to rest. Under trial it may help to hear the Psalm's invitation: "let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice" (v. 11). The LORD defends those who are His. You might name your worries to Him and leave them in His keeping tonight.
Evening prayer Lord, as I lie down tonight, compass me with Your favour as with a shield. Keep me in Your righteousness, and wake me to pray to You in the morning. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
