Psalm 5

August 10, 2015

The blessing for the righteous (Ps 5:11-5:12)

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice!

Let them ever sing for joy!

Spread your protection over them!

Those who love your name may exult in you!

You bless the righteous!

Yahweh!

You cover them with favor as with a shield.”

If you take refuge in Yahweh, then you can rejoice. You can forever sing with joy because Yahweh has spread his protection over the righteous. Anyone who loves the name of Yahweh will be exulted. They are the righteous ones because Yahweh has covered them with his favor like a shield over them. So ends this morning prayer.

August 10, 2015

The fate of the wicked ones (Ps 5:9-5:10)

“There is no truth in their mouth.

Their hearts are destruction.

Their throats are open graves.

They flatter with their tongues.

Make them bear their guilt!

O God!

Let them fall by their own counsels!

Because of their many criminal transgressions,

Cast them out!

They have rebelled against you.”

Now David attacked his enemies, the wicked ones. They were liars. They have cruel destructive hearts. Their throats were like open graves. They flattered everyone. David wanted them to confess and bear their guilt. He wanted vengeance. He wanted them to fall because of their many transgressions. They were to be cast out from the sight of Yahweh. They had rebelled against Yahweh. There was no greater sin than that.

August 10, 2015

Worship in the Temple (Ps 5:7-5:8)

“But I will enter your house,

Through the abundance of your steadfast love.

I will bow down toward your holy temple.

I will be in awe of you.

Lead me!

Yahweh!

In your righteousness.

Because of my enemies

Make your way straight before me.”

Now David made his case for why he was not wicked. Mainly, because he was loved by Yahweh, he was able to enter the house of God. He would bow down before the Temple because he was in awe of Yahweh. He wanted Yahweh to lead him in the path of righteousness. He wanted Yahweh to make the path straight for him. Out of God’s love he wanted to follow the straight way of Yahweh.

August 10, 2015

Yahweh dislikes the wicked ones (Ps 5:4-5:6)

“You are not a God who delights in wickedness.

Evil will not sojourn with you.

The boastful may not stand before your eyes.

You hate all evildoers.

You destroy those who speak lies.

Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and the deceitful.”

Yahweh does not like wickedness since evil has no place with him. We now get a glimpse of who these wicked people are. They are the boastful ones. They speak lies. They are bloodthirsty. They are deceitful. All of these kinds of people cannot stand before the eyes of Yahweh.

August 9, 2015

Morning prayer (Ps 5:1-5:3)

“To the choirmaster leader for the flutes, a psalm of David.

Give ear to my words!

Yahweh!

Give heed to my sighing!

Listen to the sound of my cry!

My King and my God!

To you do I pray!

Yahweh!

In the morning

You hear my voice.

I plead my case to you.

I watch in the morning.”

Once again this Psalm 5 is a psalm of David with a choirmaster leader. However, this time it is for flutes, not stringed instruments. This is a morning prayer as opposed to the preceding psalm that was an evening prayer. David once again asked to be heard, not only his voice but his sighing thoughts. Yahweh is clearly king and God. David prayed to him. He pleaded his case as if in some liturgical ceremony. He was watchful as the morning began.