The Book of Psalms
Psalm 5
Psalm V · Vol. II, pp. 990–991
1 David prayeth, and professeth to be constant in prayer. 4 God favoureth not the wicked. 7 David, professing his faith, prayeth unto God to guide him, 10 to destroy his enemies, 11 and to preserve the godly.
To the chief musician upon Nehiloth, A psalm of David.
3 My dvoice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct1 my prayer unto thee, and will look up.2
d Ps.130.1,6; 55.17; 59.16; 88.13; 119.147; 85.8. Is.26.9. Mar.1.35. Mi.7.7. Hab.2.1.
1 Arrange, set in order, that is, the sacrifice of the altar— the true sacrifice, He.10.16.—C.
2 It is implied in this verse that the author of the psalm would on each morning conduct a regular service of praise and prayer. Whether in public or private is not indicated; but the probability is that he refers to worship in his household, as in a subsequent verse there is allusion to public worship in the temple.—P.
6 Thou ishalt destroy them that speak leasing:4 the LORD jwill abhor the bloody and deceitful man.5
4 Lies. ['Leasing' is an old and very expressive Saxon word, signifying 'falsehood.'—P.
j Ps.55.23. Pr.6.16-18.
5 Heb. the man of bloods and deceits.
7 But kas 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.6
8 Lead lme, O LORD, in thy righteousness, because of nmine enemies; omake thy way straight before my face.
9 Forp there is no faithfulness7 in their mouth;8 their inward part is very 9wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
p Ps.36.1-4; 12.2,3; 14.1-4. Mat.15.18,19. Ro.1.28-31; 3.10-18; 8.7,8.
7 Or, steadfastness.
8 Heb. in his mouth, that is, in the mouth of any of them.
9 Heb. wickednesses.
10 Destroy qthou them,1 O God; rlet them fall by their own counsels;2 cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
1 Or, Make them guilty, Ro.3.19,20; 7.9.
r 1 Ki.12.28. Ps.9.15,16; 7.14-16.
2 Or, from their counsels.
11 But slet all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:3 let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
s Is.65.13-16. Hab.3.17,18. Ps.7.16; 35.27,28; 40.16.
A.M. cir. 2983. B.C. cir. 1021.
3 Heb. thou coverest over or protectest them.
Notes
Ver. 1. Who speaks these words, David or some other? whosoever he be, it appears from ver. 12 that his confidence lies in his being righteous. Now there is none righteous but Christ (comp. Ro. 3. 10; 1 Jn. 2. 1), the conclusion is therefore inevitable: this is a prayer of Christ, the Holy Spirit speaking by the prophet, foreshowing to the church how he would pray, as the same Spirit speaking in the evangelists has recorded for the church how he did pray. See especially Jn. xvii. C.
Ver. 7. The Hebrew word here translated 'temple' was applied to the sanctuary before Solomon's temple was built. Thus it is said Eli sat 'by a post of the temple of the Lord' at Shiloh, 1 Sa. 1. 9. Consequently the use of this word cannot be adduced as a proof that David was not the author of the psalm. P.
Ver. 10. Such petitions against enemies frequently occurring in the psalm have afforded occasion for infidels to object, and even for believers to plead a difference between the spirit of the Jewish and Christian dispensations. With those who sit in the 'seat of the scorner' we may not here plead, but with believers we must. 1. To them we say, By whom spake the prophets of old? by the Holy Ghost (2 Pe. 1. 22), never by their own spirit. 2. Does not God punish rebellious sinners according to this word? Certainly. Then does God ever do what the holiest may not entreat him to do? 3. Do not men, the very objectors, appeal to courts of law for redress of injuries? And may not Christ then appeal to his Father for the destruction of the works of the devil? 1 Jn. 3. 8. C.
Reflections.—Meditation is the director, fervour the life, faith the presenter, and a reconciled God in Christ, as our own, the object, the morning a principal season, and patient expectation the attendant of every true prayer. And while the holiness, justice, and mercy of God in Christ demand our sincerity, and encourage our boldness in approaching to his throne of grace, the wickedness and danger of sinners, the number and mischievous intentions of our enemies, the difficulty of our duty, and our need of immediate blessings, should keep us firmly in the exercise. Never should our brethren of mankind, and especially our fellow-saints, lack our warm remembrance in it: and from the prayer of faith we may confidently expect the answer of peace. But, alas! miserable are the sinners, the rebels, against God and his Christ! How universal their corruption of heart—of tongue—of practice! How fearful the ruin that awaits them! But their contrivances to dishonour Jesus Christ, and afflict his people, or to deliver themselves, shall be made the means of their aggravated woe.