“But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” (Psalm 5:7 ESV).
David wrote Psalm 5 as a morning prayer, contrasting the fate of the wicked with the blessed access of the righteous. In verse 7, he acknowledged that his ability to enter God’s presence was not due to his own merit but was entirely because of God’s abundant steadfast love. The Hebrew word translated “steadfast love” is “chesed,” a word rich with covenantal meaning. It conveyed God’s loyal, unfailing, and merciful love toward His people. David did not presume he could approach God’s house on the basis of his own righteousness. He knew he was welcomed only because of God’s mercy. His response was to bow down in reverent fear, offering worship shaped by grace. This was gospel-shaped worship, rooted not in human effort, but in God’s rich mercy and love.
Like David, we do not come before God based on our own goodness or accomplishments. We come because of His abundant mercy, shown to us in Christ Jesus. His chesed love has been made even more visible through the gospel. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s steadfast love, and through Him, we have access to the Father. When we enter into worship, we must remember that it is grace that invites us in. We bow our hearts in reverent awe, not to earn God’s favor, but because we already have it. Our worship is shaped by the gospel, filled with gratitude, humility, and joy in the mercy that brings us near.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Your abundant love. We do not deserve to enter Your presence by our own merit, but You welcome us through Your mercy. Thank You for showing us this love most clearly in Jesus. Help us to approach You each day with reverence and humility, remembering that we are accepted not by our own efforts but by Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.