DAWN

     Explanation: In Psalm 5 David asks the LORD to help him to be obedient and to judge David's disobedient enemies. In today's Psalm David mentions his morning prayer which will arise in the midst of his distress, perhaps ascending from the sanctuary of some distant mountain top, as in the painting above.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Psalm 3. Psalm 4. ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: General. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). Genevan Psalter (Music and Lyrics). Psalm 5 - #1. Psalm 5 - #2 . ]

     David opens the Psalm with a plea that God will hear him. The occasion for the Psalm is unclear. Like the previous two, it is a plea for deliverance in a time of distress. But any one of several distressing incidents may be the one to which he referred (1-2). David tells the LORD that he will pray to the Lord in the morning (3). David then sets up a contrast between the wicked and himself. He acknowledges that the LORD does not have pleasure in wickedness, evil, folly, iniquity, falsehood, blood, or deceit. So David says that he will come to the Temple seeking the LORD's mercy, with reverent fear, in an attitude of worship (4-7). Therefore he asks the LORD to lead him in the midst of his enemies because they are unfaithful and wicked, having deadly words of flattery. He asks the LORD to destroy them and let them fall by their own counsels. He asks God to cast them out for their rebellion. In contrast, he asks God to give joy to those who trust in God by defending them; and he asks that those who love his name may always shout for joy (8-11). David closes with an acknowledgement that the LORD will bless the righteous one and will cover him as with a shield (12).

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
² Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:
for unto thee will I pray.

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.
⁴ For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness:
neither shall evil dwell with thee.
⁵ The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:
thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
⁶ Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing:
the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
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.

⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;
make thy way straight before my face.
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.
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.
¹¹ But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice:
let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them:
let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

¹² For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous;
with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

* NOTE: On Opening and Closing Comments in the Psalms.
[Some commentators take the Psalm in Habakkuk 3 to be a standard model for the Psalms.
Habakkuk's Psalm begins with the name of the composer (Habakkuk) and a musical notation ("upon Shigionoth").
It closes with a dedication or a "send to" notice ("To the chief singer on my stringed instruments").
I have arranged similar material, where it is found in the Psalter, in accord with the model in Habakkuk.]