Chapter Five

The inscription in the Slavonic Bible (“concerning the heir”) indicates the content of the psalm: it speaks of the portion, lot, inheritance of the righteous and the wicked. From the Hebrew language—“to the choirmaster; on wind instruments”—the inscription tells of the manner of the musical performance of the psalm.

The psalm was written during the time of the uprising of Absalom being prepared, before David’s flight from Jerusalem. This is evident from David’s description of the disturbances that were then occurring among the Hebrews: his enemies were preparing to commit “transgression” (Ps 5:6), stirred up the people against David by spreading “lies” and “deceitful promises” (Ps 5:10), while a violent upheaval with the shedding of blood was being prepared (Ps 5:7). David, however, went to the temple and prayed before the Lord (Ps 5:8), both for the punishment of the lawless ones and for the “correction of his path” before the Lord (Ps 5:9). All the content thus points to the beginning of Absalom’s uprising, when David was not yet removed from the temple, saw the connection between the beginning troubles and his transgression, and saw the means employed by Absalom to prepare the uprising.

David prays to God to receive his prayer amid the heavy sorrows that have befallen him (2-5), and to punish the wicked and bloodthirsty enemies (6-7). He asks God for constant guidance “in righteousness,” and the wicked to condemn for the sinful character of their actions (8-11). The salvation of the unjustly persecuted David will fill all other righteous ones with joy (12-13). “For my enemies’ sake,” so that the destruction of David should not give his enemies a cause to rejoice and to consider themselves right in all their evil deeds (Ps 5:9). “Level my path before me”—grant me a peaceful and safe life.

Psalm 5:2. Hear my words, O Lord; consider my meditation. Psalm 5:3. Heed the sound of my cry, my King and my God! For I pray to You. “Hear my words”—listen, receive my prayer; “consider my meditation”—listen attentively, receive my thoughts, my mental prayer. David saw the success of the evil being prepared and the degree of his danger, and therefore his prayer to God is distinguished not by the character of a simple request, but by the painful cry (“Heed the sound of my cry”).

Psalm 5:4. O Lord, in the morning hear my voice; early will I direct my prayer toward You, and I will watch, “Hear early,” “early will I direct my prayer toward You.” The expression “in the morning hear” thus means—grant help sooner. “I will direct my prayer toward You,” that is, I will present myself before You, in the temple, as the place of God’s direct presence.

Psalm 5:5. For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil shall not dwell with You; “Evil shall not dwell with You”—You will not patronize and preserve the evil, the bad. The expression is taken from the Eastern custom of hospitality, when one who came into the tent (into the “court”) enjoyed the protection of the host.

Psalm 5:6. The wicked shall not stand in Your sight: You hate all who practice iniquity. “Shall not stand in Your sight”—You will not watch over or protect them.

Psalm 5:7. You will destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit. “The man of bloodshed and deceit whom the Lord abhors.” By this bloodthirsty man one must understand Absalom, who, in preparing for a coup d’état, was not above resorting to violent measures and was ready to resort to murder of his opponents. Absalom craftily insinuated himself into the people’s confidence and tried to predispose them to himself with promises of caring, just, and loving treatment of them after he seized the royal throne, and therefore David calls him “deceitful.”

Psalm 5:8. But as for me, in the abundance of Your mercy I will come into Your house; I will worship toward Your holy temple in fear of You. By “house” and “temple” one must understand the tabernacle (see Exod 23:19; 1 Sam 1:9; 2 Sam 12:20).

Psalm 5:9. O Lord, guide me in Your righteousness for the sake of my enemies; make straight Your way before me. David’s prayer for guidance “from God’s righteousness” indicates his consciousness of some guilt before God; such guilt was his transgression with Bathsheba. In Absalom’s uprising, he found, thus, a connection with his transgression, and therefore does not employ any means to suppress the beginning disturbance other than repentance and prayer before God, from whom alone he expected mercy for himself.

Psalm 5:10. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is destruction, their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. “No faithfulness in their mouth”—the enemies spread false reports about David among the people (see 2 Sam 15:2-6); “their inward part is destruction”—they strive not for the true welfare of the people, but for petty and ambitious goals, for seizing the throne and honor (2 Sam 15:10); “their throat is an open grave”—by spreading lies they corrupt the people and destroy it, for they call the people to unlawful actions and actions contrary to God, whom will not allow unrighteousness to triumph.

Psalm 5:11. Condemn them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You. “Condemn them, O God, let them fall from their plans”—condemn them, O Lord, so that they fall away from their thoughts, so that they are unable to accomplish what they have planned.

Psalm 5:12. But let all those who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and You will shelter them; let those who love Your name exult in You. Psalm 5:13. For You bless the righteous, O Lord; with favor You surround him as with a shield. The destruction of the enemies is prayed for by David not only for the punishment of the lawless, but also for the strengthening of faith in the righteous, when the latter, seeing the failure of all the enemies’ undertakings, will praise God as the only defender and protector. This psalm is part of the first hour (a part of the morning service), which in the East was the hour of sunrise. After giving thanks to the Lord for the passing night (see verse 4), the church prays with the words of this psalm for the believers before God at the very beginning of the day for their protection from danger, enemies, and in spiritual purity.