Psalm 5, A Morning Song

Psalm 5 is a morning song, a song that might follow Psalm 4 of the previous evening.

For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

Psalm 5: 1-3, My sighing

Give ear to my words, O LORD, 

consider my sighing.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, 

for to you I pray.

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; 

in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

This psalm builds throughout on the technique of parallelism, the "rhyme" of parallel ideas, each line modifying the previous line.
     

The first verse is an example of synthetic  parallelism:  the phrase "Give ear to my words, O LORD," is extended, or enhanced by the second phrase.  In the first phrase, David asks God to hear him, so we know David is praying to God.  But in the second phrase we know more, for David asks God to listen to his sighing. (The Hebrew word translated "sighing" here could be translated "groaning", it indicates a "barely audible self-communing", says Kidner.)  The sigh progresses into a cry and then into a thoughtful clear prayer for help.

Notice, again the synthetic parallelism in verse three.  First we are told the timing of David's prayer (morning); in the second phrase we see David doing two things.  What are they?

Psalm 5: 4-6, No pleasure in evil

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; 

with you the wicked cannot dwell.

The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; 

you hate all who do wrong.

You destroy those who tell lies;

 bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

Verses 4-6 continues the poetic parallelism:

• You don't take pleasure in evil /  with you the wicked can't live
• The arrogant can't stand…./ you hate all who do wrong
• You destroy liars / you abhor deceitful men 

Notice the similarities with Psalm 4; again David is calling for help; again David reminds (!) God that David is relying on God's justice and righteousness.

This psalm "alternates in five stophes" (Kidner) with David going directly to God about his own plight, then instructing God on what others are doing and the injustice of their actions.  The simple thought structure here is "Help me/Destroy them/Lead me/Declare them guilty/Protect the righteous.

Psalm 5: 7, My sighing

But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house;

in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. 

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies—

make straight your way before me.

What does David, the author of this psalm, mean by the "holy temple"?  The temple in Jerusalem was built, not by David, but by his son, Solomon, after David's death.  Does the word "temple" refer to the old temporary tabernacle, where the ark rested?  Kidner suggests several possibilities: Yes, "temple" could be in the original psalm, an ancient phrase for the tabernacle of David's day.  Or the word "temple" could be a later editorial adaptation, as Jewish worshipers used the psalm in Solomon's time or later.

Psalm 5: 9-10, My sighing

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;

their heart is filled with destruction.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak deceit. 

Declare them guilty, O God! 

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

 for they have rebelled against you.

David is angry at the viciousness and deceitfulness of his enemies.  Nothing his enemies say has any truth.  David begs God to see this and to respond to the deceit and betrayal.  Note the different body parts involved in the deceit as the parallelism builds: mouth, heart, throat, tongue.

Dealing with deliberate, malicious lies, is, sadly, part of human experience.  ("If your lips are movin' then you're lyin', lyin', lyin'!")

Psalm 5: 11-12, My sighing

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.

            For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; 

you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

How does David expect people to express their joy?  (He is, after all, the Old Testament harpist!)

What metaphor is implied in verse 12?  (What animals "spread" their protection over their young?)

How does the psalm end?  How has David's mood changed from verse 1 through verse 12?  

Some questions motivated by this psalm:

Note David's mood and its transition as he prays.  There is a conflict between David's mood and his expectation.  (Is it natural  to expect God to answer your prayers when you are discouraged?)

     

What is the explanation for the abrupt  change in the psalm between verse 3 (in the first strophe) and verse 4 (in the next.)

     

How do we deal with enemies? with betrayal? deceit?  Is there a best guide for bringing these things to God?  In my experience, "bitterness is a poison", one has to find a way past it, one needs a healthy response.  Here David angrily takes the bitterness to God and then, trusting in God's righteousness, leaves it there.  We will explore this idea more in Psalm 7.