Psalm 5 Bible Commentary

John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes

(Read all of Psalm 5)

Verse 1

[1] Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

Meditation — My prayer accompanied with deep thoughts and fervent affections of soul.

Verse 3

[3] My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Morning — Every morning. As soon as I wake, I am still with thee, as he saith, Psalms 139:18. The first thing that I do is to pray to thee.

Verse 4

[4] For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

Surely — Thou dost not approve of, nor delight in them, or in their prayers.

Dwelt — Have any fellowship with thee.

Verse 7

[7] But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Come — With holy boldness and confidence.

Mercy — Trusting only in thy great mercy.

Fear — With an holy dread and reverence of thy majesty.

Towards — Looking towards it, when I cannot come to it.

Verse 8

[8] Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

Righteousness — In thy righteous laws.

Because — That I may give them no occasion of slandering me, or religion for my sake.

The way — The way wherein thou wouldst have to one walk.

Plain — That I may clearly discern it, and readily walk in it.

Verse 9

[9] For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

Throat — Wide opened ready to devour all that come within their reach. A metaphor from wild beasts gaping for the prey.

Verse 10

[10] Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

Destroy — Condemn and punish them.

Cast — Out of thy land, and from among thy people.