What Does Psalm 5:3 Mean in the King James?
My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Prayer here is not merely spoken; it is set before God and followed by watchfulness.
THE MEANING
Your voice is heard by God in the morning. Your prayer is arranged toward God, and then you remain watchful for what comes into view. The verse holds speech and attention together: you speak, and you watch.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the idea that prayer ends when the words are spoken: here, prayer continues as watchfulness.
THE ROOT
אֶעֱרָךְ
e'erakh
GROWS FROM
ערך
ʿ-r-kh
to arrange, set in order
The verb translated “direct” pictures arranging something toward God. This root also describes setting a table or forming an array, so the prayer is deliberately laid out, not merely uttered.
ALSO GROWS
ta'arokh: You arrange, prepare
תַּעֲרֹךְ
In Psalm 23:5, the same root describes God preparing a table; here, prayer too is set in place before God.
ma'arakhah: An array, formation
מַעֲרָכָה
This branch shows the root’s sense of things being deliberately arranged, giving “direct my prayer” the shape of ordered presentation.
וַאֲצַפֶּה
va'atsappeh
GROWS FROM
צפה
ts-p-h
to look out, keep watch
The phrase translated “look up” uses a verb for watching or keeping lookout. The root also names a watcher and a lookout place, so the verse ends with attention held open after prayer is arranged.
ALSO GROWS
tsopheh: A watcher, watchman
צֹפֶה
The watcher stays attentive to what appears, echoing the speaker’s posture after praying.
mitspeh: A lookout, watchtower
מִצְפֶּה
This branch names a place from which one watches, giving “I will look up” the sense of keeping watch rather than making a passing glance.
THE PATTERN
Prayer is a directed turning to God that leaves the person attentive to what follows.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.THE THREAD
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.Habakkuk uses the same Hebrew root, צפה (ts-p-h), for “will watch” that Psalm 5:3 uses for “look up.” The shared root opens the final phrase as a watchful posture after prayer, attentive to what comes into view.
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