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Psalm Five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 5
To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth
a Psalm of David. This psalm
being written by David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
is inscribed
and sent to him who had the direction and management of the musical instruments
used in religious worship in David's time
and afterwards in the temple
service
called "nehiloth"; as the preceding psalm is inscribed to
him who presided over those called "neginoth"
Psalm 4:1; and as they seem to be such
instruments as were played upon with the hand
stringed instruments
so these
seem to be wind instruments
such as were blown with the mouth; as the flute
cornet
pipe
trumpet
and hautboy; the word being derived from the same root
as "chalil"
the pipe
is
and signifies hollow
and so designs such
hollow instruments as above: Rabbenu HaiF24Apud Kimchi & Ben
Melech in loc. So David de Pomis
Lexic. fol. 93. 1. thinks the instrument
intended was so called from the humming of bees
which its sound resembled;
"nechil shel deborim"
with the RabbinsF25Maimon. in Misn.
Bava Kama
c. 10. s. 2.
signifying a swarm of bees; and a word from the same
root in the Arabic language is used for a beeF26Alnachal
"apes"
Arab. vers. Deut. i. 44. ; though others have thought it
might be so called from the murmuring noise of a brook or river
to which the
sound of it might be like; because a word from the same root this is thought to
come in the Hebrew language signifies a brook or river. The Septuagint version
which is followed by the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions
renders it
"for
that which obtained the inheritance"; and the Arabic version
"concerning the inheritance"; and to this agrees the old MidrashF1Midrash
Tillim apud Viccars. in loc. of the Jews; but what is the meaning is left to
everyone to conjecture; the reason of these versions is because the root from
whence this word is supposed to be derived signifies to "inherit":
the Targum renders the whole inscription thus
"to sing upon the dances a
song of David"
as it does the title of the preceding psalm; Aben Ezra
takes the word
as he does "neginoth"
to be the first word of some
song
to the tune of which this psalm was to be sung; and Jarchi interprets it
"troops" or "armies"
and says it is a prayer on account of
the troops of enemies that came against Israel; and that the singer said this
psalm on the behalf of all Israel. The Syriac interpreter calls it a prayer in
the person of the church
when it went in the morning to the house of the Lord.
The occasion of it seems to be the same with that of the two former: and certain
it is that the psalmist was in distress by reason of wicked men when he wrote
it
as appears from several passages in it; the ancient Jewish doctorsF2Apud
Kimchi & Arama in loc. understood by them Doeg and Ahithophel; some think
it was penned
as the preceding psalm
on account of the rebellion of Sheba
2 Samuel 20:1.
Psalm 5:1 Give
ear to my words
O Lord
Consider my meditation.
YLT
1To the Overseer
`Concerning the Inheritances.' -- A Psalm of David. My sayings hear
O Jehovah
Consider my meditation.
Give ear to my words
O Lord
.... Meaning not his
words in common conversation
but in prayer; the words which came out of his
mouth
and were audibly expressed by him at the throne of grace
and design
vocal prayer; and so stand distinguished from the meditation of his heart
sacred ejaculations
or mental prayer; see Psalm 54:2; and words in prayer to God
ought to be few
at least not repeated
Ecclesiastes 5:2; and these should be a
man's own words
as were the psalmist's; not what were suggested by another
or
written in a book before him
but what were of his own composing and putting
together
under the direction of the Spirit of God; who put words into his
mouth
and furnished him both with words and matter
and which he freely
uttered before the Lord: and this is the "parrhesia"
boldness
freedom of speech
which the Scriptures speak of
Hebrews 4:16; and the saints are allowed to
use in prayer before God; when they may pour out their souls unto him
and
freely tell him all their mind
as the psalmist now did; to which he entreats
the Lord to "give ear"; not that God has a corporeal ear as man has
but he that made the ear has the power of hearing: this is an anthropopathy
and is spoken after the manner of men; such as are of kind and benevolent
dispositions do not turn away
but stop and hear what a poor miserable object
has to say to them
to whom they listen and return an answer; and so this
phrase is expressive of the kind regard God has to the prayers of the
destitute
which he does not despise but delight in; and of his bowing and
inclining his ear
or of the strict and close attention he gives to them; and of
the full and suitable answer he returns
in his own time and way; and is what
the psalmist most earnestly entreats. He adds
consider my meditation; the prayer he had
meditated: for meditation is requisite to prayer
and should go before it;
which is necessary in order to pray with the understanding; nor should men
utter anything rashly and hastily before the Lord: it may design mental prayer
in distinction from vocal prayer
signified by his words before
such as that
of Moses at the Red sea
and of Hannah before Eli
Exodus 14:15
1 Samuel 1:13. The word also signifies
inward mourning
and groans; the root from whence this is derived to mourn
and
is so rendered in Isaiah 38:14; where Hezekiah compares his
prayers to the chattering of a crane and swallow
and the mourning of a dove;
and are the same with the unutterable groanings with which the Spirit of God
sometimes makes intercession for the saints
Romans 8:26; and which are not hid from
God
Psalm 38:9; but are well known to him: he
understands the language of a sigh or groan; and so the words may be rendered
"understand my moan"F3חניני
"murmur meum"
Vatablus
Gejerus; "gemitum meum"
Cocceius
Hammond; "gemitus et suspiria mea"
Michaelis. .
Psalm 5:2 2 Give heed to the voice of
my cry
My King and my God
For to You I will pray.
YLT
2Be attentive to the voice
of my cry
My king and my God
For unto Thee I pray habitually.
Hearken unto the voice of my cry
.... Which seems to
intend more than groans or words
even a loud outcry
as of a person in great
distress; such as the strong crying of Christ
in the days of his flesh
when
on the cross
forsaken by God
deserted by his friends
and surrounded by his
enemies
Hebrews 5:7; and such
in some measure
was
the case of David. The arguments used by him
that the Lord would hearken to
him
are as follow: and the first is taken from his interest in the Lord
and
his relation to him
my King and my God; the Lord was David's King in a civil sense;
though David was a king over others
yet the Lord
who is the King of kings
was King over him
and he owned him to be so; he was set upon the throne by
him
had his kingdom from him
and was accountable to him: and he was his King
in a natural sense
the kingdom of nature and providence belonging to him
as
he was his Creator
preserver
protector
and defender; and in a spiritual
sense
he being delivered from the dominion of other lords
sin
Satan
and the
world
and brought to a subjection to him by his Spirit and grace; and so to
own him as his King and Lawgiver
as well as his Saviour. And he was his God;
not in a general way
as he is the God of the spirits of all flesh living; nor
merely in the peculiar way in which he was the God of the people of Israel; but
in a most special manner
as being his covenant God and Father in Christ. He
was his God
not only as the God of nature and providence
but as the God of
all grace; who had distinguished him by special and spiritual blessings and
favours; and whom David loved
believed in
and worshipped as his God. And this
his interest in him
and relation to him
he uses with great pertinence and
propriety
as an argument that he might be heard by him; since the Lord was his
King
and he his subject; the Lord was his God
and he one of his people; the
Lord was his father
and he a child of his; and therefore entreats and hopes to
be heard; see Isaiah 63:15. His next argument is taken
from his resolution to pray to him
and to continue to do so:
for unto thee will I pray; and only to thee: not to
the gods of the Heathen
to idols
the works of men's hands
who can neither
hear nor save: and to thee always; suggesting
that he would never leave off
praying till he was heard; he would give him no rest
day nor night
until he
received an answer.
Psalm 5:3 3 My voice You shall hear in
the morning
O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You
And I will look up.
YLT
3Jehovah
[at] morning Thou
hearest my voice
[At] morning I set in array for Thee
And I look out.
My voice shall thou hear in the morning
O Lord
.... These
words may be considered either as expressing the confidence of the psalmist
that the Lord would hear and answer him
and that in the morning
every
morning
as soon and as often as he prayed; or that he would hear him early
quickly
speedily
seasonably
and at the best time; or else as declaring what
he would do in consequence of his resolution to pray to the Lord in Psalm 5:2; he would pray to him every
morning: the morning is a proper time for prayer
both to return thanks to God
for refreshing sleep and rest
for preservation from dangers by fire
by
thieves and murderers
and for renewed mercies in the morning; as also to pray
to God to keep from evil and dangers the day following; to give daily food
and
to succeed in business and the employments of life; and for a continuation of
every mercy
temporal and spiritual. God should be served and sought in the
first place; and so to do looks as if God was with his people
and they with
him
when they awake in the morning. The Targum and Arabic version consider the
words as a petition
and render them
"HearF4תשמע "audi"
Vatablus
Gejerus. in the morning
O
Lord
my voice"
or "my petition"; and so bear the same sense as
the other petitions;
in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee; or "set it
in order"F5אערך "disponam"
Montanus
Michaelis; "praeparabo"
Pagninus
Musculus;
"ordinabo"
Piscator
Gejerus. : not so much respecting the order of
words
the method of prayer
which is sometimes very broken and confused
and
yet regarded by God; but in allusion either to the shewbread
placed in order
on the table
which was typical of Christ's continual intercession for his
people
Exodus 40:4; or to the offering of incense
and other sacrifices
which when offered were put in order upon the altar; and
to which prayer is compared
Psalm 141:2. Or the words may be rendered
"I will stand before thee in the morning"
as the Arabic version; or
"I will present unto thee"
as the Septuagint; that is
myself; see Job 1:6
Romans 12:1; though the supplement
"my prayer"
seems to be a good one; and so the words are supplied by
the Jewish commentatorsF6Jarchi
Aben Ezra
Kimchi
& Ben Melech
in loc. ;
and will look up; or "out"F7אצפה "speculabor"
Pagninus
Montanus
Piscator
Michaelis; "speculatorus"
Junius & Tremellius. as out of a watch
tower
Habakkuk 2:1; to see if help is coming
and
for an answer of prayer: the phrase is expressive of hope
expectation
faith
and confidence
that an answer would be returned; and therefore the psalmist
determines to look upwards to heaven
whither he directed his prayer
and from
whence the answer must come; and to look out from his watch tower
where he was
waiting for it
and to continue patiently expecting it till he had it: and the
ground of his confidence were the nature and perfections of God
particularly
his purity and holiness
as appears from Psalm 5:4.
Psalm 5:4 4 For You are not a
God who takes pleasure in wickedness
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
YLT
4For not a God desiring
wickedness [art] Thou
Evil inhabiteth Thee not.
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness
.... Sin
ungodliness; it is contrary to his nature
who is holy
just
and good; and to
his will revealed in his law
which is the same with his nature; and sin is a
transgression of it. God is so far from taking pleasure in sin
that it is the
abominable thing which his righteous soul hates; though this hinders not his
voluntary permission of sin
or his decree of it; which he has willed
though
he does not delight in it
in order to magnify the riches of his grace and
mercy in the salvation of his people: nor is this contrary to the delight and
pleasure which he takes in the persons of his elect in Christ
though they are
sinners in themselves
and were so when he so loved them as to give his Son for
them
and who died for them while they were yet sinners; and when he sends his
Spirit to regenerate and sanctify them
and are after conversion guilty of many
sins: for
though he delights in their persons
he has no pleasure in their
sins; nor is it consistent with the holiness of his nature to take pleasure in
wickedness
let it be committed by whomsoever;
neither shall evil dwell with thee; that is
the evil man
who continues in a course of wickedness
and lives and dies in his sins. He has
no communion with God here
nor shall he dwell with him hereafter; but shall be
bid to depart from him
whether he be a profane sinner openly
or secretly a
wicked professor of religion. The sense of the psalmist is
that since they
were evil and wicked men
that were risen up against him
and gave him trouble
he entertained a strong confidence that God would hear him
for himself and his
friends
whose cause was righteous; and appear against his enemies
who were
wicked and ungodly men; and this he grounded upon the purity and holiness of
God.
Psalm 5:5 5 The boastful shall not
stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.
YLT
5The boastful station not
themselves before Thine eyes: Thou hast hated all working iniquity.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight
.... By the
"foolish" are meant not such who are so in a natural
but in a moral
sense
wicked and ungodly men. The Septuagint render the word
"transgressors of the law"; and the Vulgate Latin version
"the
unrighteous"; and the Arabic version
"they that contradict thy
precepts". The wordF8הוללים
"jactitantes"
Gejerus; "insane gloriosi"
Michaelis; so
Ainsworth. used comes from a root which signifies to "praise"; and
may design such as are praisers of themselves
proud boasters; who are elated
with their own excellencies
with their wisdom
strength
honours
riches
and
righteousness
and treat all others with contempt; for though they are
unrighteous
yet they trust in themselves that they are righteous
and despise
others
which betrays their folly; hence the Syriac version renders it
"the proud"; and the Chaldee paraphrase
"mockers". And
their not standing in the sight of God denotes his abhorrence and detestation
of them; as when one man abhors another he cannot endure to look upon him
or
bear to have him in his presence: and it shows that such shall receive no
favour from him; for though
like proud Haman
they may think themselves his
favourites
and they are the persons the king will delight to honour; yet to
their great mortification they will find
that a poor Mordecai
a mean
despicable believer
will be preferred unto them. Nor shall they stand in
acceptance and confidence before him at the day of judgment: they will not be
able to stand themselves
but will call to the rocks and mountains to cover
them; and they will not be suffered lost and
but will be driven from the
presence of the Lord into everlasting burnings
thou hatest all workers of iniquity; not all that have sin in
them or do sin
for there are none without it; but such who give themselves up
to work wickedness
who make it the business of their lives
and are slaves
unto it
living in a continued series and course of impiety; and this character
does not only belong to openly profane sinners
but to some professors of
religion; see Matthew 7:22; and these are the objects of
God's hatred. Which does not so much intend any past act of his
the
preterition or passing them by
when he chose others in his eternal purposes;
in which sense the word is used in Romans 9:13
as his continued aversion to
them
denying them his grace and favour
and rejecting them from all nearness
to him and communion with him; and may include the everlasting punishment of
them
by which his displicine and hatred will be made manifest: and he is impartial
in it
without any respect to persons
high or low
rich or poor; indignation
and wrath
tribulation and anguish
will come upon every soul of man that does
evil. God's love to his own people was antecedent to sin
and was placed upon
them in Christ
in whom their persons are always well pleasing to him; and
though they sinned in Adam
and became actual transgressors of his law
yet
such was his love to their persons
that he saves them from their sins by the
blood and righteousness of his son.
Psalm 5:6 6 You shall destroy those
who speak falsehood; The Lord
abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
YLT
6Thou destroyest those
speaking lies
A man of blood and deceit Jehovah doth abominate.
Thou shall destroy them that speak leasing
.... Or
"a lie"F9כזב
"mendacium"
V. L. ; whether in matters of religion; as false
doctrines
errors
and heresies
are lies; and so all that deny the deity
sonship
and Messiahship of Christ
are liars; and the followers of the man of
sin speak lies in hypocrisy: or in common conversation; such are like to Satan
and are abominable in the sight of God; and he will destroy them
either with a
temporal destruction
with bodily diseases
as Gehazi was smitten with a
leprosy; and with corporeal death
as Ananias and Sapphira; or with eternal
destruction
the destruction of body and soul in hell; for all liars have their
part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone;
the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man; or "the
man of blood and deceit"F11איש דמים ומרמה "vir sanguinum et
doli
vel fraudis"
Montanus
Cocceius
Gejerus; so Ainsworth. ; that
thirsts after blood; who sheds innocent blood
as the Targum paraphrases it. He
showed his resentment against Cain
the first of this sort
in a way that was
intolerable to him. He very early established a law
requiring that he who shed
man's blood
by man should his blood be shed; and he will give the whore of
Rome
who has been drunk with the blood of his saints
blood to drink
because
she is worthy. And all such who flatter with their tongue
and speak with a
double heart
and lie in wait to deceive their neighbour
whether in things
temporal or spiritual
are the objects of his abhorrence and indignation; see Psalm 55:23. Now David's enemies being such
sort of persons
foolish wicked men
proud and haughty
workers of iniquity
liars
bloody and deceitful men
men that God had an abhorrence of
he
therefore hoped and was confident that God would hear his prayers against them
and for himself.
Psalm 5:7 7 But as for me
I will come
into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship
toward Your holy temple.
YLT
7And I
in the abundance of
Thy kindness
I enter Thy house
I bow myself toward Thy holy temple in Thy
fear.
But as for me
I will come into thy house
.... The
tabernacle of Moses
sometimes called the house of God
1 Chronicles 9:23; for as yet the temple
was not built. Here David had been used to go in times past; and though he was
now in a kind of exile from it
he was confident he should again enter into and
determined so to do whenever he had an opportunity
and that in the following
manner:
in the multitude of thy mercy; grace or goodness. God
is rich in mercy
abundant in goodness and truth; there is a multitude of
mercy
love
and grace in his heart
and which is stored up in his covenant
and displayed in his Son
and in the provision of him as a Saviour of lost
sinners; abundant mercy is shown in regeneration
in adoption
and in the
forgiveness of sins
and in every spiritual blessing
and in the gift of
eternal life. And now
not relying on his own merits
strength
and
righteousness
or leaning to his own understanding
but trusting in the mercy
grace
and goodness of God in Christ
and in hope of finding more grace and
mercy to help in time of need; with thankfulness for what he had received
he
determines
by divine leave and assistance
to enter
into the house of the
Lord: and whatever other persons did
whom he had before described
it was his
resolution to serve the Lord
under a sense of his mercy and goodness to him;
which laid him under an obligation so to do
and is the true principle from
which all service should proceed;
and in thy fear will I
worship toward thy holy temple; either heaven
the habitation of God's
holiness
towards which
and to God there
the psalmist would lift up his eyes
his hands
and heart; or the tabernacle
at the door of which the worship of
God was performed
the sacrifices were brought
and God met his people; and
therefore he says he would worship towards the temple or tabernacle
Leviticus 1:3. And it may be that David has
reference to the Messiah
the medium of divine worship; whose human nature was
typified by the tabernacle and temple
in which the fulness of the Godhead
dwells: the psalmist therefore purposes to worship God in Christ
and to
perform all acts of worship
as prayer
praise
hearing the word
offering
sacrifice
&c. in the name and faith of Christ; looking towards him for the
presentation of his services by him
and for the acceptance of them with God
through him: and this he desired to do in the "fear" of God; not with
a slavish fear
but with reverence and godly fear; with a fear influenced by
the multitude of God's mercy
grace
and goodness
in art humble modest manner
not trusting to
or depending upon
any service done by him.
Psalm 5:8 8 Lead me
O Lord
in Your
righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.
YLT
8O Jehovah
lead me in Thy
righteousness
Because of those observing me
Make straight before me Thy way
Lead me
O Lord
in thy righteousness
.... Not in
mine
but thine; in the righteousness of God
which is revealed in the Gospel
from faith to faith
and is imputed by God
and received by faith; in this
righteousness the psalmist desired to be led into the house of God
and appear
before him; nor is there any other righteousness in which man can stand before
God and worship. Or else the sense is
that God would lead him in the way of
righteousness
in his righteous statutes
judgments
and ordinances; in which
way the Lord does lead his people
Psalm 23:3. Or that he would lead him for
his righteousness' sake; because of his faithfulness to his promises
that he
would direct
uphold
and never leave nor forsake him. David was very sensible
that the way of man is not in himself
and that he could not direct his own
steps; and therefore desired to be guided by the Lord
and to be led by the
right hand of his righteousness
and to be upheld by it in his ways:
because of mine enemies; or
"those that
observe me"F12שוררי
"observatores meos"
Junius & Tremellius
Cocceius
Michaelis; so
Aben Ezra
Kimchi
Ben Melech
& Ainsworth. that lie in wait and watch for
my halting
as Jeremiah's enemies did; and would rejoice at my fall
and insult
me
and blaspheme thy name; therefore lead
guide
and uphold me;
make thy way straight before my face; thy way of
providence
thy way of grace
thy way of worship and duty; let it appear plain
and manifest
that I may know in which way I should walk; and let all
obstructions be removed out of the way
that I may walk straight on
without
any difficulty or hinderance. He seems to have respect to his enemies
who lay
in his way
that God would remove them; see Psalm 5:9.
Psalm 5:9 9 For there is no
faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their
throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.
YLT
9For there is no stability
in their mouth. Their heart [is] mischiefs
An open grave [is] their throat
Their tongue they make smooth.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth
.... In the
mouth of the ungodly
as the Chaldee paraphrase; in the mouth of every one of
them
as Aben Ezra interprets it: that is
in the mouth of every wicked
bloody
and deceitful man; of everyone of David's enemies
as Saul
or the
conspirators with Absalom his son. There was no steadfastness in them; nothing
right
sure
or firm said by them; nothing that could be depended upon; there
was "no truth" in them
as the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Arabic
and
Ethiopic versions render it. And as this was true of David's
so of Christ's
enemies; of Herod
and of the Herodians
and of the Scribes and Pharisees; see Matthew 2:8; and of the enemies of Christ's
Gospel; of all false teachers
who speak not the word faithfully; tell dreams
use the hidden things of dishonesty
walk in craftiness
handle the word of God
deceitfully
and speak lies in hypocrisy: there is no certainty in them
nor is
any thing they say to be trusted to. And this is the character of wicked men in
common: they are an assembly of treacherous men; there is none upright among
them; nor is any confidence to be placed in them: the people of God are in danger
of being imposed upon and misled by them to their hurt; and therefore the
psalmist prays
that the Lord would lead him in his righteousness;
their inward part is very wickedness; their heart
which is desperately wicked
exceeding sinful; not only wicked
and very wicked
but wickedness itself. This is the root and fountain of all wickedness
and the
reason why there is no faithfulness in their mouth: the wordF13קרבם η καρδια
Sept. "cor"
V. L. i.e. "cogitatio"
Muis. is sometimes
rendered
"their inward thought"
Psalm 49:11; which is the inmost of man
the nearest to him; and which
and even the imagination of it
is evil
and
that continually: the wordF14הוות
"aerumuae"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Gejerus;
"calamitates"
Cocceius; so Ainsworth. translated
"wickedness" signifies woes
calamities
and mischiefs; and such the
wicked hearts of men are full of
and are continually devising against the
people of God
and his righteous cause. And this is the just character of
ungodly men
even though they may profess to know God
have a form of
godliness
and be outwardly righteous before men; as these were David was
concerned with;
their throat is an open sepulchre; or as one
as
the Targum paraphrases it; to which the throat of wicked men may be compared
for its voracity and insatiableness; the grave being one of those three or four
things
which never has enough or is satisfied. And this is true of the throat
whether it be considered as an instrument of speech
and throws out devouring
words to the prejudice of the characters and reputations of others; or as an
instrument of swallowing meat and drink
and where the pleasure of appetite is;
and so may be expressive of the eager desire of the wicked after sin
who drink
up iniquity like water; and of their delight in it
and their fulness of it
and yet still greedy
insatiable
and not to be satisfied: and their throat may
be compared to an open grave for the nauseous stench it emits; corrupt
communication
filthiness
and foolish talking
proceeding out of it; and
horrible oaths
curses
imprecations
and blasphemies
being belched out
through it; and for the danger which is by it
since into it men may fall unawares;
and so the evil communications of wicked men corrupt good manners
and do great
mischief to those who fall into company with them;
they flatter with their tongue; or
"make it
smooth"F15חליקון "levigant
seu
emolliunt"
Piscator
Gejerus. ; use oily expressions
soft language: or
"part" or "divide"F16"Divident vel
dispertient"
Mariana. their tongue; are double tongued and double
hearted; and so deceive persons
as the apostle interprets it in Romans 3:13. They flatter God himself
drawing nigh to him in an hypocritical way; they flatter men
their neighbours
and impose upon them; they flatter princes
and such parasitic people were
about David. And such are false teachers
who prophesy smooth things
and with
good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple; or
which
account there is great reason to pray to be led and directed by the Lord.
Psalm 5:10 10 Pronounce them guilty
O
God! Let them fall by their own counsels; Cast them out in the multitude of
their transgressions
For they have rebelled against You.
YLT
10Declare them guilty
O God
Let them fall from their own counsels
In the abundance of their transgressions
Drive them away
Because they have rebelled against Thee.
Destroy thou them
O God
.... Or "make them
guilty"F17האשימם "reos fac
istos"
Junius & Tremellius; so Piscator
Cocceius
Schmidt
Michaelis
Kimchi
and Ainsworth. ; that is
make them appear to be guilty
either to themselves
that they may acknowledge their offences
confess their
guilt
and ask for pardon; or to others
pronounce them guilty
pass the
sentence of condemnation on them: and the Chaldee paraphrase and the Syriac
version render it by חיב
"condemn them"
or hold them guilty; and the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Arabic
and Ethiopic
versions
"judge" them; treat them as guilty persons
punish them
destroy them
soul and body
with an everlasting destruction;
let them fall by their own counsels; into the pit they have
dug for others; as Haman fell by his counsels
and was hanged on the gallows he
prepared for Mordecai. And so sometimes a man's own counsel casts him down
and
is the cause of his ruin
Job 18:7. Or
"because of their own
counsels"F18ממועצותיהם "propter
consilia sua"
Piscater; so Tigurine version and Michaelis. ; which they
have taken against the Lord and his Anointed
against his cause and interest
and against his righteous ones
particularly David; meaning their wicked
counsels
in which they walked; see Hosea 11:6. Or "from their
counsels"F19ממועצותיהם "propter
consilia sua"
Piscater; so Tigurine version and Michaelis. ; as the
Targum and most versions render it: that is
let their counsels be turned into
foolishness
become brutish
be carried headlong
and come to nought. Which had
its accomplishment in Ahithophel;
cast them out; either out of their own country
and carry
them into captivity; or from the presence of the Lord
from his tabernacle and
worship; which David's enemies now enjoyed
and gloried in: or into outer
darkness
into a furnace of fire
where there is weeping and wailing
and
gnashing of teeth;
in the multitude of their transgressions: when God
deals with men in a way of grace
he turns away ungodliness from them
or them
from their ungodliness; but when in a way of judgment he suffers them to die in
their sins
and so perish: or "for the multitude of their transgressions"F20ברב "propter multitudinem"
Musculus
Pagninus
Piscator
Gejerus
Michaelis; so Ainsworth. . The sins of transgressors are
many and because of them they are cast out of the sight o God
and will be bid
to depart from him hereafter;
for they have rebelled against thee: all sin is a rebellion
against God; hence sinners are called rebellious ones. The rebellion of David's
subjects against him was a rebellion against God; because it was an attempt to
dethrone him
whom God had made king of Israel. The wordF21מרו "irritaverunt"
V. L. see Ainsworth.
signifies to embitter
exasperate
and provoke: and such is the nature of sin
it is a bitter thing in itself
and it provokes the eyes of God's glory. Now
each of these expressions are to be considered
not so much petitions
as
prophecies; and not as imprecations
but as predictions of what would be the
portion of wicked men.
Psalm 5:11 11 But let all those rejoice
who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy
because You defend
them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
YLT
11And rejoice do all trusting
in Thee
To the age they sing
and Thou coverest them over
And those loving
Thy name exult in Thee.
But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice
.... Who trust
not in themselves
in their own hearts
in their righteousness
or riches
or
strength; but in the name
righteousness
and strength of the Lord: who betake
themselves to him
and put all their confidence in him: let them rejoice in the
salvation of the Lord
and in hope of eternal glory and happiness;
let them even shout for joy: not only rejoice
inwardly
but express their joy externally
with their voices
and in the
loudest manner; and that always
the matter and foundation of a believer's joy
always continues; and so does the grace itself: though it is not always in
exercise
yet it is an everlasting joy; and with it the redeemed of the Lord
will come to Zion
and no man will be able to take away their joy. Which
distinguishes it from the triumphing of the wicked
and the joy of the
hypocrite
which is but for a moment;
because thou defendest them
or "coverest
them"F23ותסך עלימו
"et operies super eos"
Vatablus; "operies et proteges
eos"
Michaelis. ; with the feathers of divine protection
under the
shadow of his wings
and with the hollow of his hand: so God preserves his
people
keeps them by his power
as the apple of his eye
and is a wall of fire
round about them. Which is a good reason why they should rejoice
and shout for
joy;
let them also that love thy name; as all that put their
trust in the
Lord do; they love the Lord himself
because of the perfections
of his nature
and the works of his hands
and for what he has done for them:
they love all they know of him; they love him in all his persons
Father
Son
and Spirit; and every name of his
by which he has made himself known. They
love
admire
and adore all his attributes and perfections
as they are
displayed in the works of creation and providence; and especially in redemption
by Jesus Christ
where they all gloriously meet together; and in whom God has
proclaimed his name gracious and merciful. They love his word
his Gospel
by
which he is made known; and they love his people
on whom his name is called
and who call upon his name. And let such
says the psalmist
be joyful in thee: not rejoice in their boasting of their
wisdom
strength
riches
and righteousness; all such rejoicing is evil: but in
the Lord
in his grace
righteousness
and salvation. He is the only true
proper object of spiritual joy; and there is good reason for it
from what
follows.
Psalm 5:12 12 For You
O Lord
will bless
the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
YLT
12For Thou blessest the
righteous
O Jehovah
As a buckler with favour dost compass him!
For thou
Lord
wilt bless the righteous. As he has
blessed him with a righteousness
even the righteousness of God imputed to him
by which he is denominated righteous
and with the forgiveness of his sins; so
he will bless him with peace and prosperity
with all spiritual blessings
with
the blessings of grace here
and glory hereafter. Hence he has just reason to
rejoice and be glad;
with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield: by which is
meant the free favour
love
and grace of God in Christ
which springs from his
sovereign will and pleasure; is his good will to men
and the exceeding riches
of his grace
shown in his kindness towards them in Christ Jesus: and the
compassing or crowning of the righteous with it
as the wordF24תעטרנו εστεφανωσας
ημας
Sept. "coronasti nos"
V. L. Arab. Ethiop.
"coronabis cum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius. signifies
is
expressive of the abundance of it
in the application of it to them in
conversion
and in every instance and blessing of grace; for such are crowned
with lovingkindness and tender mercies; the grace of the Lord is exceeding
abundant towards them
it flows and overflows; it surrounds them on all sides
and covers them all over: it is as a shield unto them from all their enemies
Psalm 40:11; and which being held in the
hand of faith
quenches the fiery darts of Satan; and is the saints security
from every enemy
and from all hurt and danger
here or hereafter; see Zephaniah 3:17; and is a crown of glory
upon them
which makes them glorious
lovely
and amiable. Some interpret this
of Christ the righteous One; so Nebiensis.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)