Psalms 5
DOYLY— Nehiloth.] That is, organs or other wind-instruments. Dr. Wells.
Ver. 3. — and will look up.] Toward heaven, the throne of thy glory, from whence I hope for help. Bp. Wilson.
- The foolish! The wicked. S. Clarke.
Psalms 5:4
- Stand in awe, and sin not.] The rendering of the Greek is, “Be ye angry, and sin not;” that is, Though you be angry, take care you do not sin. So St. Paul (Ephes. iv. 26.) recites it. Dr. Wall.
Psalms 5:5
- Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.] That is, act righteously, which is the most acceptable sacrifice. Dr. Wells.
Psalms 5:6
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There be many &c.] This seems to relate to the righteous, who, in times of calamity and persecution, like the friends of distressed David, are tempted to despond, on seeing no end of their troubles. Bp. Horne. — lift thou up &c.] Manifest thy love and favour to me and mine. S. Clarke.
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— that speak leasing:] That make it their business to raise and disperse false and scandalous reports of me. S. Clarke.
Psalms 5:7
- Thou hast put &c.] Other men do not so much rejoice in their vintage and harvest, when it is most abundant, as I do in the assurance of thy favour towards me. Bp. Hall.
We may learn from this Psalm, 1st, That however our enemies seek to oppress us, yet God, whose power no man can resist, hath chosen to Himself, and will take to his love, those who are godly, and that when they cry unto Him, He will hear them. 2ndly, That we ought to “commune with our own hearts,” which, in the language of Scripture, is to retreat from the world, and give ourselves up to private meditation and reflection. And the design of this self-communion is, to restrain us from vice; to cherish and improve the seeds of virtue; to give us leisure for examining into the state of our souls; to stamp upon our hearts a love for God, and a reverence for his laws; to make us, in short, “stand in awe and sin not.” 3rdly, That in God alone is rest, in Him security, in Him tranquility. We ought therefore to pray to our heavenly Father, that, amidst all the storms and troubles of this life, we may lie down
morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Psalms 5:8
- Lead me, &c.] Guide me, O Lord, in the plain path of truth and righteousness, lest, if I err from it, my enemies rejoice and triumph. Travell.
Psalms 5:9
- — their throat is an open sepulchre;] They utter mischief with open mouths, gaping, like noisome tombs, to swallow up the innocent. Travell.
Psalms 5:10
- Destroy thou them.] Concerning passages of this imprecatory kind in the book of Psalms, it is to be observed, that they are not spoken of private and personal enemies, but of the opposers of God and his anointed; nor of any among these, but the irreclaimable and finally impenitent; and this by way of prediction rather than imprecation; which would appear, if the original verbs were translated, as they should be, in the future tense. The verse before us would then run thus: “Thou wilt destroy them, O God; they shall perish by their own counsels: Thou wilt cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against thee.” Bp. Horne.