Looking Up
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3
Wait in Expectation – Translating an idiomatic expression always entails difficulties. The translator wants to be true to the original language but, at the same time, knows that a literal translation often will not convey the meaning of the phrase. That’s the problem with this verse. The poetry is concise. The metaphors are clipped. Every Hebrew in David’s court knew the meaning, but it is probably lost on us. So, we get a different combination of words in hopes of giving us the sense of the verse.
The Hebrew is va atsape, from tsaphah, a verb that conveys the idea of being fully aware of circumstances in order to gain some advantage. Quite literally, this phrase reads, “and look up.” Readers of the original knew that “looking up” was the equivalent of expecting a response. If you were asking for something in front of the king, you would bow low, face to the floor. If he said to you, “Look at me,” the act of raising your eyes would indicate anticipation of his answer. That is the metaphor David uses in this psalm. He had plenty of experience of people coming before him, bowing low, then raising their eyes. Now he uses the same imagery before God. When I look up, I expect that God’s answer is on the way.
What can we learn from this ancient metaphor? Perhaps the most important thing is this: no one would dare look up at the king unless the king first granted permission to do so. When the king says, “Look,” he has already granted us favor. Raising my eyes to his face can only happen after he has invited me to do so.
David tells us that in prayer he makes his requests to the Lord. He bows his face low before the Most High. But then he is able to look up. God invites David to see a smile of comfort. The answer has been given. The important part of this verse is not the fact that I can come to God with my morning prayers for help. That is the act of face-down pleading. The important part of this verse is something that isn’t even written. I can’t look up until the Most High asks me to, and when He asks me to look up, I know that His favor toward me is complete.
How many prayers have you uttered face-down? How many times have you finished those prayers with the confidence to look up at the King of glory, knowing that His answer is on the way? Or did you pray and walk away with your head still hung low? If you are going to wait in expectation, you must first hear the King say, “Look up.” That’s when you stop praying and raise your eyes to the One Who has heard you.
