[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.
Psalm 5 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
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.