For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.
1 Listen to my words, LORD,
consider my lament.
2 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
4 For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.
5 The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
6 you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, LORD, detest.
7 But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8 Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12 Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favour as with a shield.
Comments from McGurgle:
This passionate Psalm reflects the psalmist's confidence in God to deliver him from his current circumstances. It seems clear from the psalm that people are making up and communicating false stories about him, stories that injure his reputation. He bases his hope for God to free him on the character of God as well as the desires of his own heart. Yet he knows that freedom and deliverance isn't automatic. He knows he has to "bring his case" before God earnestly and consistently (v.3).
These short comments will outline some of the flow of the passage, from the Psalmist's urgent plea, to his statement of the character of God, to his longing to be led by God.
1. Sighs and Groans in the Morning (vv. 1-3)
Sighs, groanings and words are the Psalmist's approach to God. Sometimes our approach to God is in words, carefully chosen. Sometimes we just pour out our prayers in a rush of unorganized and jumbled words. Othertimes, the sounds we utter to God are like sighs too deep for words. What is striking about the language of the Psalmist's cry is the way he speaks with passion and conviction using all the resources he can muster, Sighs, Groans, and Words. He knows that he has no real and ultimate help apart from God. For that is reason he approaches God with mouth and heart open. The King James, translates verse 3: "in the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will keep watch." The NASV has, "in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch." The RSV translates: "in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch." We can see that the psalmist is careful and planned in his prayer, he sets out his case before God in the morning before anything else happens in his day. The psalmist pours our his complaint in heartfelt words, arranged with care as if in a courtroom. This is a good model of praying against our tendency just to "speak first and think later." Make your case before God. Make it very very well. Because of this we can see how much the psalmist is in relationship with God and that he wants to explain to God what is going on, this is not because he believes that god doesn't know about it, but he needs to get it all off his chest. This is robust confession.
2. God and Evil (vv. 4-6)
Over and over again in the next three verses we hear the psalmist affirming something central about God--that God can't abide evildoers. "You hate all evildoers" (v. 5) This communicates God's heart in pretty strong language, maybe those are the words we need to hear occasionally so that we don't flag in our commitment to see justice done in the world. Evildoers, those who "delight in wickedness," the "bloodthirsty and deceitful," are really not those to whom we should give free rein to rule, to lead, to set the policy for a nation or a people. It is this belief which gives the psalmist confidence as he approaches God. Perhaps he believes in the purity of his own heart; It's hard to tell. We do know, however, that he has been sorely oppressed by people who want to destroy him with their words.
3.A desire to be led (vv. 7-8)
The psalmist doesn't stop with the prayer against the enemies; he finishes with a twofold declaration. He will enter God's house to pray (v. 7) and he will ask for God to lead him in the ways of the divine righteousness (v. 8). This is such a simple prayer, but it is also gets to the heart of the matter. We simply need guidance. We need to be led on the right way. Sometimes we tend to make our lives more complex than they need to be. For the psalmist it is simple. Just Go to the temple of God; seek for God's deliverance and guidance in the moment of need.
1. Sighs and Groans in the Morning (vv. 1-3)
Sighs, groanings and words are the Psalmist's approach to God. Sometimes our approach to God is in words, carefully chosen. Sometimes we just pour out our prayers in a rush of unorganized and jumbled words. Othertimes, the sounds we utter to God are like sighs too deep for words. What is striking about the language of the Psalmist's cry is the way he speaks with passion and conviction using all the resources he can muster, Sighs, Groans, and Words. He knows that he has no real and ultimate help apart from God. For that is reason he approaches God with mouth and heart open. The King James, translates verse 3: "in the morning I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will keep watch." The NASV has, "in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch." The RSV translates: "in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch." We can see that the psalmist is careful and planned in his prayer, he sets out his case before God in the morning before anything else happens in his day. The psalmist pours our his complaint in heartfelt words, arranged with care as if in a courtroom. This is a good model of praying against our tendency just to "speak first and think later." Make your case before God. Make it very very well. Because of this we can see how much the psalmist is in relationship with God and that he wants to explain to God what is going on, this is not because he believes that god doesn't know about it, but he needs to get it all off his chest. This is robust confession.
2. God and Evil (vv. 4-6)
Over and over again in the next three verses we hear the psalmist affirming something central about God--that God can't abide evildoers. "You hate all evildoers" (v. 5) This communicates God's heart in pretty strong language, maybe those are the words we need to hear occasionally so that we don't flag in our commitment to see justice done in the world. Evildoers, those who "delight in wickedness," the "bloodthirsty and deceitful," are really not those to whom we should give free rein to rule, to lead, to set the policy for a nation or a people. It is this belief which gives the psalmist confidence as he approaches God. Perhaps he believes in the purity of his own heart; It's hard to tell. We do know, however, that he has been sorely oppressed by people who want to destroy him with their words.
3.A desire to be led (vv. 7-8)
The psalmist doesn't stop with the prayer against the enemies; he finishes with a twofold declaration. He will enter God's house to pray (v. 7) and he will ask for God to lead him in the ways of the divine righteousness (v. 8). This is such a simple prayer, but it is also gets to the heart of the matter. We simply need guidance. We need to be led on the right way. Sometimes we tend to make our lives more complex than they need to be. For the psalmist it is simple. Just Go to the temple of God; seek for God's deliverance and guidance in the moment of need.
Reflection:
This psalm provides encouragement and help for us today, If you wonder how to pray when evil is growing, Pray Psalm 5. If you wonder how to pray when you feel under attack, Pray Psalm 5. When political structures seem to contribute to wickedness, Pray Psalm 5. When you need a shield from the angry darts of the evil one, Pray Psalm 5. If you need to build your faith. Pray Psalm 5. If you lack confidence, Pray Psalm 5.
McGurgle
