Bible Commentaries
Psalms 5

Verse 1

Title. A Psalm. See App-65 .

Give ear . . . Consider . . .

LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

meditation. Connecting this Psalm with Psalms 1:2 ; Psalms 2:1 .

Verse 2

Hearken. Figure of speech Synonymia. App-6 .

voice. The voice marks the tone of any cry. First occurrence here.

my cry. Connecting this Psalm with Psalms 3:4 .

God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

Verse 3

direct = set in order (as the wood on the altar). Compare Genesis 22:9 . Exodus 40:4 , Exodus 40:23 .

look up = look out, or watch for [an answer].

Verse 4

wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .

Verse 5

foolish = boasters.

iniquity . Hebrew. 'aven. App-44 .

Verse 6

leasing = falsehood. See note on Psalms 4:2 .

Verse 7

as for me. Compare Psalms 17:15 ; Psalms 26:11 ; Psalms 35:13 ; Psalms 41:12 ; Psalms 55:16 ; Psalms 69:13 ; Psalms 73:2 .

multitude = abundance.

mercy = lovingkindness, or grace.

holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

temple. Hebrew. heykal = palace: i.e. heaven itself, which was the pattern for the earthly "house" or tent, as being the dwelling-place of Jehovah. Hence it is used of the Tabernacle (1 Samuel 1:9 ; 1 Samuel 3:3 ). Compare Psalms 11:4 ; Psalms 18:6 .

Verse 8

Thy way: not mine.

Verse 9

faithfulness = steadfastness, or stability.

their = his. Referring to the man of Psalms 5:6 .

Their. Three times repeated; refers to the "foolish" and "workers" of Psalms 5:6 .

tongue. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for what is spoken by it.

Verse 10

Destroy Thou them = Deal with them as guilty.

by their own counsels. Answered in Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:31 ; 2 Samuel 17:14 , 2 Samuel 17:23 ). A prayer suited for the dispensation in which David lived. See App-63 .

transgressions. Hebrew. pasha'. App-44 .

Verse 11

put their trust = flee for refuge to. Hebrew. hasah. See App-69 .

defendest = coverest.

Thy name = Thee Thyself. "Name" put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the person and character: i.e. all that the name implies and includes.

Verse 12

bless the righteous = bless the justified one. Compare Psalms 1:1 ; Psalms 2:12 ; Psalms 3:8 .

favour. This is the "shield". In His favour is "life" (Psalms 30:5 ); "preservation" (Psalms 86:2 , margin); "security" (Psalms 41:11 ); "mercy "(Isaiah 60:10 ). Hence the prayer of Psalms 106:4 .

as. Figure of speech Simile. App-6 .

a shield. Hebrew. zinnah, a shield of the largest size. See 1 Samuel 17:7 , 1 Samuel 17:41 . "Only here, Psalms 35:2 (buckler), and Psalms 91:4 in the Psalms. In other Psalms it is magen, smaller both in size and weight (compare 1 Kings 10:17 . 2 Chronicles 9:16 ). The shield is the "favour" of Jehovah mentioned above.