Read-Post Through the Bible

[David_james]

Psalms 5

1    O Lord, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
2    Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I will never pray to anyone but you.
3    Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
4    O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the slightest sin.
5    Therefore, the proud will not be allowed to stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
6    You will destroy those who tell lies.
The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7    Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.
8    Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Tell me clearly what to do,
and show me which way to turn.
9    My enemies cannot speak one truthful word.
Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their speech is filled with flattery.
10    O God, declare them guilty.
Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
for they rebel against you.
11    But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Protect them,
so all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12    For you bless the godly, O Lord,
surrounding them with your shield of love.

[David_james]

Concise commentary from ilumina Gold

Requests for God to hear (Psalms5:1), answer (4:1), or stop delaying (6:3) are found throughout the psalms. They are not disrespectful commands; rather, they are poignant cries of a suffering faithful believer going to his only possible source of hope. The first half of Psalms5 speaks of prayer in the temple, while the latter half asks for judgment on enemies and blessings on the faithful. “Unfailing love” (5:7) is one of God’s attributes revealed in Exodus 34:6-7. The root meaning of the Hebrew word brings to mind the loyalty epitomized in the stork, a symbol of motherhood. It can be rendered “loyal love” or “covenant loyalty.” That love is embodied in God’s loving-kindness to David and his family line of descendants through the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:15). In Psalms5:10 the imprecation, or the prayer for God to judge (see “Imprecatory psalms” mentioned previously), David petitioned God to punish the wicked and thus vindicate his own righteousness. Such prayers were grounded on God’s promise to “curse” those who persecuted Abraham’s descendants (cf. Genesis 12:3).


Brother Dan, if more needs to be said, please add it

[David_james]

Psalms 6

1    O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2    Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my body is in agony.
3    I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?
4    Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.
5    For in death, who remembers you?
Who can praise you from the grave?
6    I am worn out from sobbing.
Every night tears drench my bed;
my pillow is wet from weeping.
7    My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
8    Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my crying.
9    The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer.
10    May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.

[David_james]

A prayer for deliverance

The king was being persecuted by his enemies (6:7), enemies who were fighting against God’s anointed king. Assurance of relief (6:10) came only after the time of suffering. During that time, the assurance of being heard by God was sufficient for the king to remain faithful. In 6:5 David was simply saying that only the people who are living have an opportunity to give public praise to God on earth. The grave refers to the place of the dead. The phrase “Go away, all you who do evil” in 6:8 was quoted by Jesus in condemnation of superficial religion (cf. Matthew 7:23). God had heard and answered David’s prayer (6:8-9)!

[daniel1212av]

Hi David, thanks for the input. I usually do not post on the weekends, which enables me to get ahead preparing the posts, and i will just continue in Psalms from where i left off.  Maybe adding additional commentary rather than more chapters would be better, but the Lord's will be done.  (Neh 8:8 )  "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."

(Psa 5)  "To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. 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."

[daniel1212av]

Psalms 5 - David continues instant in prayers Psa_5:1, Psa_5:2; makes early application to God, Psa_5:3; and shows the hatred which God bears to the workers of iniquity, Psa_5:4-6. His determination to worship God, and to implore direction and support, Psa_5:7, Psa_5:8. He points out the wickedness of his enemies, Psa_5:9, and the destruction they may expect, Psa_5:10; and then shows the happiness of those who trust in the Lord, Psa_5:11, Psa_5:12.

This Psalm is inscribed to the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. As neginoth may signify all kinds of instruments struck with a plectrum, stringed instruments, those like the drum, cymbals, etc.; so nechiloth, from חל  chal, to be hollow, to bore through, may signify any kind of wind instruments, such as the horn, trumpet, flute, etc. See on Psa_4:1-8 (note). The Septuagint have, Εις το τελος, ὑπερ της κληρονομουσης, “In favor of her who obtains the inheritance.” The Vulgate and Arabic have a similar reading. The word נחילות  nechiloth they have derived from נחל  nachal, to inherit. This may either refer to the Israelites who obtained the inheritance of the promised land, or to the Church of Christ which obtains through him, by faith and prayer, the inheritance among the saints in light. This Psalm is, especially, for the whole Church of God. — Clarke 

Psalms 5 - The psalm is a prayer, a solemn address to God, at a time when the psalmist was brought into distress by the malice of his enemies. Many such times passed over David, nay, there was scarcely any time of his life to which this psalm may not be accommodated, for in this he was a type of Christ, that he was continually beset with enemies, and his powerful and prevalent appeals to God, when he was so beset, pointed at Christ's dependence on his Father and triumphs over the powers of darkness in the midst of his sufferings. In this psalm, 

I. David settles a correspondence between his soul and God, promising to pray, and promising himself that God would certainly hear him (Psa_5:1-3). 

II. He gives to God the glory, and takes to himself the comfort, of God's holiness (Psa_5:4-6). 

III. He declares his resolution to keep close to the public worship of God (Psa_5:7).  IV. He prayed, 

1. For himself, that God would guide him, (Psa_5:8 ). 

2. Against his enemies, that God would destroy them (Psa_5:9, Psa_5:10).  3. For all the people of God, that God would give them joy, and keep them safe (Psa_5:11, Psa_5:12). And this is all of great use to direct us in prayer.

To the chief musician upon Nehiloth. A psalm of David. — Henry 

Psalms 5 - Title - “To the Chief Musician upon Nehiloth, a Psalm of David.” The Hebrew word Nehiloth is taken from another word, signifying “to perforate, to bore through,” whence it comes to mean a pipe or a flute; so that this song was probably intended to be sung with an accompaniment of wind instruments, such as the horn, the, trumpet, flute, or cornet. However, it is proper to remark that we are not sure of the interpretation of these ancient titles, for the Septuagint translates it, “For him who shall obtain inheritance,” and Aben Ezra thinks it denotes some old and well-known melody to which this Psalm was to be played. The best scholars confess that great darkness hangs over the precise interpretation of the titles; nor is this much to be regretted, for it furnishes an internal evidence of the great antiquity of the Book. Throughout the Psa_1:1-6, Psa_2:1-12, Psa_3:1-8, and Psa_4:1-8, you will have noticed that the subject is a contrast between the position, the character, and the prospects of the righteous and of the wicked. In this Psalm you will note the same. The Psalmist carries out a contrast between himself made righteous by God's grace, and the wicked who opposed him. To the devout mind there is here presented a precious view of the Lord Jesus, of whom it is said that in the days of his flesh, he offered up prayers and supplication with strong crying and tears.

Division - The Psalm should be divided into two parts, from the first to the seventh verse, and then from the eighth to the twelfth. In the first part of the Psalm David most vehemently beseeches the Lord to hearken to his prayer, and in the second part he retraces the same ground. — Psalms   

Psa 5:1-6 - God is a prayer-hearing God. Such he has always been, and he is still as ready to hear prayer as ever. The most encouraging principle of prayer, and the most powerful plea in prayer, is, to look upon him as our King and our God. David also prays to a sin-hating God. sin is folly, and sinners are the greatest of all fools; fools of their own making. Wicked people hate God; justly are they hated of him, and this will be their endless misery and ruin. Let us learn the importance of truth and sincerity, in all the affairs of life. Liars and murderers resemble the devil, and are his children, therefore it may well be expected that God should abhor them. These were the characters of David's enemies; and such as these are still the enemies of Christ and his people. — MHCC

[daniel1212av]

Psa 5:1-6 - The title of this psalm has nothing in it peculiar but that it is said to be upon Nehiloth, a word nowhere else used. It is conjectured (and it is but a conjecture) that is signifies wind - instruments, with which this psalm was sung, as Neginoth was supposed to signify the stringed - instruments. In these verses David had an eye to God,

I. As a prayer-hearing God; such he has always been ever since men began to call upon the name of the Lord, and yet is still as ready to hear prayer as ever. Observe how David here styles him: O Lord (Psa_5:1, Psa_5:3), Jehovah, a self-existent, self-sufficient, Being, whom we are bound to adore, and, “my King and my God (Psa_5:2), whom I have avouched for my God, to whom I have sworn allegiance, and under whose protection I have put myself as my King.” We believe that the God we pray to is a King, and a God. King of kings and God of gods; but that is not enough: the most commanding encouraging principle of prayer, and the most powerful or prevailing plea in prayer, is to look upon him as our King and our God, to whom we lie under peculiar obligations and from whom we have peculiar expectations. Now observe,

1. What David here prays for, which may encourage our faith and hopes in all our addresses to God. If we pray fervently, and in faith, we have reason to hope,

(1.) That God will take cognizance of our case, the representation we make of it and the requests we make upon it; for so he prays here: Give ear to my words, O Lord! Though God is in heaven, he has an ear open to his people's prayers, and it is not heavy, that he cannot hear. Men perhaps will not or cannot hear us; our enemies are so haughty that they will not, our friends at such a distance that they cannot; but God, though high, though in heaven, can, and will.

(2.) That he will take it into his wise and compassionate consideration, and will not slight it, or turn it off with a cursory answer; for so he prays: Consider my meditation. David's prayers were not his words only, but his meditations; as meditation is the best preparative for prayer, so prayer is the best issue of meditation. Meditation and prayer should go together, Psa_19:14. It is when we thus consider our prayers, and then only, that we may expect that God will consider them, and take that to his heart which comes from ours. (3.) That he will, in due time, return a gracious answer of peace; for so he prays (Psa_5:2): Hearken to the voice of my cry. His prayer was a cry; it was the voice of his cry, which denotes fervency of affection and importunity of expression; and such effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man avail much and do wonders.

2. What David here promises, as the condition on his part to be performed, fulfilled, and kept, that he might obtain this gracious acceptance; this may guide and govern us in our addresses to God, that we may present them aright, for we ask, and have not, if we ask amiss. Four things David here promises, and so must we: -

(1.) That he will pray, that he will make conscience of praying, and make a business of it: Unto thee will I pray. “Others live without prayer, but I will pray.” Kings on their own thrones (so David was) must be beggars at God's throne. “Others pray to strange gods, and expect relief from them, but to thee, to thee only, will I pray.” The assurances God has given us of his readiness to hear prayer should confirm our resolution to live and die praying.

(2.) That he will pray in the morning. His praying voice shall be heard then, and then shall his prayer be directed; that shall be the date of his letters to heaven, not that only (“Morning, and evening, and at noon, will I pray, nay, seven times a day, will I praise thee”), but that certainly. Morning prayer is our duty; we are the fittest for prayer when we are in the most fresh, and lively, and composed frame, got clear of the slumbers of the night, revived by them, and not yet filled with the business of the day. We have then most need of prayer, considering the dangers and temptations of the day to which we are exposed, and against which we are concerned; by faith and prayer, to fetch in fresh supplies of grace.

(3.) That he will have his eye single and his heart intent in the duty: I will direct my prayer, as a marksman directs his arrow to the white; with such a fixedness and steadiness of mind should we address ourselves to God. Or as we direct a letter to a friend at such a place so must we direct our prayers to God as our Father in heaven; and let us always send them by the Lord Jesus, the great Mediator, and then they will be sure not to miscarry. All our prayers must be directed to God; his honour and glory must be aimed at as our highest end in all our prayers. Let our first petition be, Hallowed, glorified, by thy name, and then we may be sure of the same gracious answer to it that was given to Christ himself: I have glorified it, and I will glorify it yet again.

(4.) That he will patiently wait for an answer of peace: “I will look up, will look after my prayers, and hear what God the Lord will speak (Psa_85:8; Hab_2:1), that, if he grant what I asked, I may be thankful - if he deny, I may be patient - if he defer, I may continue to pray and wait and may not faint.” We must look up, or look out, as he that has shot an arrow looks to see how near it has come to the mark. We lose much of the comfort of our prayers for want of observing the returns of them. Thus praying, thus waiting, as the lame man looked stedfastly on Peter and John (Act_3:4), we may expect that God will give ear to our words and consider them, and to him we may refer ourselves, as David here, who does not pray, “Lord, do this, or the other, for me;” but, “Hearken to me, consider my case, and do in it as seemeth good unto thee.”

II. As a sin-hating God, Psa_5:4-6. David takes notice of this,

1. As a warning to himself, and all other praying people, to remember that, as the God with whom we have to do is gracious and merciful, so he is pure and holy; though he is ready to hear prayer, yet, if we regard iniquity in our heart, he will not hear our prayers, Psa_66:18. 2. As an encouragement to his prayers against his enemies; they were wicked men, and therefore enemies to God, and such as he had not pleasure in. See here.

(1.) The holiness of God's nature. When he says, Thou art not a God that has pleasure in wickedness, he means, “Thou art a God that hates it, as directly contrary to thy infinite purity and rectitude, and holy will.” Though the workers of iniquity prosper, let none thence infer that God has pleasure in wickedness, no, not in that by which men pretend to honour him, as those do that hate their brethren, and cast them out, and say, Let the Lord be glorified. God has no pleasure in wickedness, though covered with a cloak of religion. Let those therefore who delight in sin know that God has no delight in them; nor let any say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God is not the author of sin, neither shall evil dwell with him, that is, it shall not always be countenanced and suffered to prosper. Dr. Hammond thinks this refers to that law of Moses which would not permit strangers, who persisted in their idolatry, to dwell in the land of Israel.

(2.) The justice of his government. The foolish shall not stand in his sight, that is, shall not be smiled upon by him, nor admitted to attend upon him, nor shall they be acquitted in the judgment of the great day. The workers of iniquity are very foolish. Sin is folly, and sinners are the greatest of all fools; not fools of God's making (those are to be pitied), for he hates nothing that he has made, but fools of their own making, and those he hates. Wicked people hate God; justly therefore are they hated of him, and it will be their endless misery and ruin. “Those whom thou hatest thou shalt destroy;” particularly two sorts of sinners, who are here marked for destruction: -

[1.] Those that are fools, that speak leasing or lying, and that are deceitful. There is a particular emphasis laid on these sinners (Rev_21:8 ), All liars, and (Psa_22:15), Whosoever loves and makes a lie; nothing is more contrary than this, and therefore nothing more hateful to the God of truth.

[2.] Those that are cruel: Thou wilt abhor the bloody man; for inhumanity is no less contrary, no less hateful, to the God of mercy, whom mercy pleases. Liars and murderers are in a particular manner said to resemble the devil and to be his children, and therefore it may well be expected that God should abhor them. These were the characters of David's enemies; and such as these are still the enemies of Christ and his church, men perfectly lost to all virtue and honour; and the worse they are the surer we may be of their ruin in due time.

In singing these verses, and praying them over, we must engage and stir up ourselves to the duty of prayer, and encourage ourselves in it, because we shall not seek the Lord in vain; and must express our detestation of sin, and our awful expectation of that day of Christ's appearing which will be the day of the perdition of ungodly men. — Henry

Psa 5:7-12 - David prayed often alone, yet was very constant in attendance on public worship. The mercy of God should ever be the foundation both of our hope and of our joy, in every thing wherein we have to do with him. Let us learn to pray, not for ourselves only, but for others; grace be with all that love Christ in sincerity. The Divine blessing comes down upon us through Jesus Christ, the righteous or just One, as of old it did upon Israel through David, whom God protected, and placed upon the throne. Thou, O Christ, art the righteous Saviour, thou art the King of Israel, thou art the Fountain of blessing to all believers; thy favour is the defence and protection of thy church. — MHCC

[daniel1212av]

Psa 5:7-12 - In these verses David gives three characters - of himself, of his enemies, and of all the people of God, and subjoins a prayer to each of them.

I. He gives an account of himself and prays for himself, Psa_5:7, Psa_5:8.

1. He is stedfastly resolved to keep closely to God and to his worship. Sinners go away from God, and so make themselves odious to his holiness and obnoxious to his justice: “But, as for me, that shall not keep me from thee.” God's holiness and justice are so far from being a terror to the upright in heart, to drive them from God, that they are rather by them invited to cleave to him. David resolves,
(1.) To worship God, to pay his homage to him, and give unto God the glory due unto his name.

(2.) To worship him publicly: “I will come into thy house, the courts of thy house, to worship there with other faithful worshippers.” David was much in secret worship, prayed often alone (Psa_5:2, Psa_5:3), and yet was very constant and devout in his attendance on the sanctuary. The duties of the closet are designed to prepare us for, not to excuse us from, public ordinances.

(3.) To worship him reverently and with a due sense of the infinite distance there is between God and man: “In thy fear will I worship, with a holy awe of God upon my spirit,” Heb_12:28. God is greatly to be feared by all his worshippers.

(4.) To take his encouragement, in worship, from God himself only. [1.] From his infinite mercy. It is in the multitude of God's mercy (the inexhaustible treasures of mercy that are in God and the innumerable proofs and instances of it which we receive from him) that David confides, and not in any merit or righteousness of his own, in his approaches to God. The mercy of God should ever be both the foundation of our hopes and the fountain of our joy in every thing wherein we have to do with him.

[2.] From the instituted medium of worship, which was then the temple, here called the temple of his holiness, as a type of Christ, the great and only Mediator, who sanctifies the service as the temple sanctified the gold, and to whom we must have an eye in all our devotions as the worshippers then had to the temple.

2. He earnestly prays that God, by his grace, would guide and preserve him always in the way of his duty (Psa_5:8 ): Lead me in thy righteousness, because of my enemies - Heb. “Because of those who observe me, who watch for my halting and seek occasion against me.” See here, (1.) The good use which David made of the malice of his enemies against him. The more curious they were in spying faults in him, that they might have whereof to accuse him, the more cautious he was to avoid sin and all appearances of it, and the more solicitous to be always found in the good way of God and duty. Thus, by wisdom and grace, good may come out of evil.

(2.) The right course which David took for the baffling of those who sought occasion against him. He committed himself to a divine guidance, begged of God both by his providence and by his grace to direct him in the right way, and keep him from turning aside out of it, at any time, in any instance whatsoever, that the most critical and captious of his enemies, like Daniel's, might find no occasion against him. The way of our duty is here called God's way, and his righteousness, because he prescribes to us by his just and holy laws, which if we sincerely set before us as our rule, we may in faith beg of God to direct us in all particular cases. How this prayer of David's was answered to him see 1Sa_18:14, 1Sa_18:15.

II. He gives an account of his enemies, and prays against them, Psa_5:9, Psa_5:10. 1. If his account of them is true, as no doubt it is, they have a very bad character; and, if they had not been bad men indeed, they could not have been enemies to a man after God's own heart. He had spoken (Psa_5:6) of God's hating the bloody and deceitful man. “Now, Lord,” says he, “that is the character of my enemies: they are deceitful; there is no trusting them, for there is no faithfulness in their mouth.” They thought it was no sin to tell a deliberate lie if it might but blemish David, and render him odious. “Lord, lead me,” says he (Psa_5:8 ), “for such as these are the men I have to do with, against whose slanders innocency itself is no security. Do they speak fair? Do they talk of peace and friendship? They flatter with their tongues; it is designed to cover their malice, and to gain their point the more securely. Whatever they pretend of religion or friendship, two sacred things, they are true to neither: Their inward part is wickedness itself; it is very wickedness. They are likewise bloody; for their throat is an open sepulchre, cruel as the grave, gaping to devour and to swallow up, insatiable as the grave, which never says, It is enough,” Pro_30:15, Pro_30:16. This is quoted (Rom_3:13) to show the general corruption of mankind; for they are all naturally prone to malice, Tit_3:3. The grave is opened for them all, and yet they are as open graves to one another.

2. If his prayer against them is heard, as no doubt it is, they are in a bad condition. As men are, and do, so they must expect to fare. He prays to God to destroy them (according to what he had said Psa_5:6, “Thou shalt destroy men of this character,” so let them fall; and sinners would soon throw themselves into ruin if they were let alone), to cast them out of his protection and favour, out of the heritage of the Lord, out of the land of the living; and woe to those whom God casts out. “They have by their sins deserved destruction; there is enough to justify God in their utter rejection: Cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, by which they have filled up the measure of their iniquity and have become ripe for ruin.” Persecuting God's servants fills the measure as soon as any thing, 1Th_2:15, 1Th_2:16. Nay, they may be easily made to fall by their own counsels; that which they do to secure themselves, and do mischief to others, by the over-ruling providence of God may be made a means of their destruction, Psa_7:15; Psa_9:15. He pleads, “They have rebelled against thee. Had they been only my enemies, I could safely have forgiven them; but they are rebels against God, his crown and dignity; they oppose his government, and will not repent, to give him glory, and therefore I plainly foresee their ruin.” His prayer for their destruction comes not from a spirit of revenge, but from a spirit of prophecy, by which he foretold that all who rebel against God will certainly be destroyed by their own counsels. If it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those that trouble his people, as we are told it is (2Th_1:6), we pray that it may be done whenever we pray, Father, thy will be done.

III. He gives an account of the people of God, and prays for them, concluding with an assurance of their bliss, which he doubted not of his own interest in. Observe,

1. The description he gives of God's people. They are the righteous (Psa_5:12); for they put their trust in God, are well assured of his power and all-sufficiency, venture their all upon his promise, and are confident of his protection in the way of their duty; and they love his name, are well pleased with all that by which God has made himself known, and take delight in their acquaintance with him. This is true and pure religion, to live a life of complacency in God and dependence on him.

2. His prayer for them: “Let them rejoice; let them have cause to rejoice and hearts to rejoice; fill them with joy, with great joy and unspeakable; let them shout for joy, with constant joy and perpetual; let them ever shout for joy, with holy joy, and that which terminates in God; let them be joyful in thee, in thy favour, in thy salvation, not in any creature. Let them rejoice because thou defendest them, coverest them, or overshadowest them, dwellest among them.” Perhaps here is an allusion to the pillar of cloud and fire, which was to Israel a visible token of God's special presence with them and the special protection they were under. Let us learn of David to pray, not for ourselves only, but for others, for all good people, for all that trust in God and love his name, though not in every thing of our mind nor in our interest. Let all that are entitled to God's promises have a share in our prayers; grace be with all that love Christ in sincerity. This is to concur with God.

3. His comfort concerning them, Psa_5:12. He takes them into his prayers because they are God's peculiar people; therefore he doubts not but his prayers shall be heard, and they shall always rejoice; for,

(1.) They are happy in the assurance of God's blessing: “Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous, wilt command a blessing upon them. Thou hast in thy word pronounced them blessed, and therefore wilt make them truly so. Those whom thou blessest are blessed indeed.”

(2.) “They are safe under the protection of thy favour; with that thou wilt crown him” (so some read it); “it is his honour, will be to him a diadem of beauty, and make him truly great: with that thou wilt compass him, wilt surround him, on every side, as with a shield.” A shield, in war, guards only one side, but the favour of God is to the saints a defence on every side; like the hedge about Job, round about, so that, while they keep themselves under the divine protection, they are entirely safe and ought to be entirely satisfied.

In singing these verses, and praying them over, we must by faith put ourselves under God's guidance and care, and then please ourselves with his mercy and grace and with the prospect of God's triumphs at last over all his enemies and his people's triumphs in him and in his salvation. — Henry

[David_james]

 :'(I am sorry, I thought anyone could post something here

[daniel1212av]

Others can Dave,  as i  said at the beginning, but should have suggested that it be in response to the posted text, in order to keep that chronological and uniform. So if you want to add good commentary go ahead (observe any copyright restrictions). I guess the problem is i choose early on only to do it Mon-Fri.  I had never done this before, and so it was experimental for me, but only one other person ever posted besides you! So feel free to post Thanks

[daniel1212av]

(Psa 6)  "To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. {2} Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. {3} My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? {4} Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. {5} For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? {6} I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. {7} Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

{8} Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. {9} The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. {10} Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly."

[daniel1212av]

Psalms 6 - This Psalm contains a deprecation [prayer to avoid or be delivered from some evil] of eternal vengeance, Psa_6:1; a petition to God for mercy, Psa_6:2. This is enforced from a consideration of the psalmist’s sufferings, Psa_6:3; from that of the Divine mercy, Psa_6:4; from that of the praise and glory which God would fail to receive if man were destroyed, Psa_6:5; from that of his humiliation and contrition, Psa_6:6, Psa_6:7. Being successful in his supplication, he exults in God, Psa_6:8, Psa_6:9; and predicts the downfall of all his enemies, Psa_6:10.

This Psalm has the following inscription: To the chief Musician on Neginoth, upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David; which the Chaldee translates, “To be sung on neginoth, a harp of eight strings.” The various interpretations given to this inscription, both by ancients and moderns, show us that nothing is known concerning it. We have already seen that neginoth probably signifies all instruments which emitted sounds by strokes, or stringed instruments in general. This Psalm was to be accompanied with such instruments; but one of a particular kind is specified, viz., sheminith; so called from its having eight strings. The chief musician is directed to accompany the recital of this Psalm with the above instrument. — Clarke 

Psalms 6 - David was a weeping prophet as well as Jeremiah, and this psalm is one of his lamentations: either it was penned in a time, or at least calculated for a time, of great trouble, both outward and inward. Is any afflicted? Is any sick? Let him sing this psalm. The method of this psalm is very observable, and what we shall often meet with. He begins with doleful complaints, but ends with joyful praises; like Hannah, who went to prayer with a sorrowful spirit, but, when she had prayed, went her way, and her countenance was no more sad. Three things the psalmist is here complaining of: -

1. Sickness of body. 

2. Trouble of mind, arising from the sense of sin, the meritorious cause of pain and sickness.  3. The insults of his enemies upon occasion of both. Now here, 

I. He pours out his complaints before God, deprecates his wrath, and begs earnestly for the return of his favour (Psa_6:1-7). 

II. He assures himself of an answer of peace, shortly, to his full satisfaction (Psa_6:8-10). This psalm is like the book of Job.

To the chief musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith. A psalm of David. — Henry 

Psalms 6 - Title - This Psalm is commonly known as the first of The Penitential Psalms, and certainly its language well becomes the lip of a penitent, for it expresses at once the sorrow (Psa_6:3, Psa_6:6, Psa_6:7), the humiliation (Psa_6:2 and Psa_6:4), and the hatred of sin (Psa_6:8 ), which are the unfailing marks of the contrite spirit when it turns to God. O Holy Spirit, beget in us the true repentance which needeth not to be repented of. The title of this Psalm is, “To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of. David,” that is, to the chief musician with stringed instruments, upon the eight, probably the octave. Some think it refers to the bass or tenor key, which would certainly be well adapted to this mournful ode. But we are not able to understand these old musical terms, and even the term “Selah,” still remains untranslated. This, however, should be no difficulty in our way. We probably lose but very little by our ignorance, and it may serve to confirm our faith. It is a proof of the high antiquity of these Psalms that they contain words, the meaning of which is lost even to the best scholars of the Hebrew language. Surely these are but incidental (accidental I might almost say, if I did not believe them to be designed by God), proofs of their being, what they profess to be, the ancient writings of King David of olden times.

Division - You will observe that the Psalm is readily divided into two parts. First, there is the Psalmist's plea in his great distress, reaching from the Psa_6:1 to the end of the Psa_6:7. Then you have, from the Psa_6:8to the end, quite a different theme. The Psalmist has changed his note. He leaves the minor key, and betakes himself to sublime strains. He tunes his note to the high key of confidence, and declares that God hath heard his prayer, and hath delivered him out of all his troubles. — Psalms

Psa 6:1-7 - These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled, of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent to awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Sickness brought sin to his remembrance, and he looked upon it as a token of God's displeasure against him. The affliction of his body will be tolerable, if he has comfort in his soul. Christ's sorest complaint, in his sufferings, was of the trouble of his soul, and the want of his Father's smiles. Every page of Scripture proclaims the fact, that salvation is only of the Lord. Man is a sinner, his case can only be reached by mercy; and never is mercy more illustrious than in restoring backsliders. With good reason we may pray, that if it be the will of God, and he has any further work for us or our friends to do in this world, he will yet spare us or them to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is happiest for the saints; but for them to abide in the flesh is more profitable for the church. — MHCC

Psa 6:1-7 - These verses speak the language of a heart truly humbled under humbling providences, of a broken and contrite spirit under great afflictions, sent on purpose to awaken conscience and mortify corruption. Those heap up wrath who cry not when God binds them; but those are getting ready for mercy who, under God's rebukes, sow in tears, as David does here. Let us observe here,

I. The representation he makes to God of his grievances. He pours out his complaint before him. Whither else should a child go with his complaints, but to his father?

1. He complains of bodily pain and sickness (Psa_6:2): My bones are vexed. His bones and his flesh, like Job's, were touched. Though David was a king, yet he was sick and pained; his imperial crown could not keep his head from aching. Great men are men, and subject to the common calamities of human life. Though David was a stout man, a man of war from his youth, yet this could not secure him from distempers, which will soon make even the strong men to bow themselves. Though David was a good man, yet neither could his goodness keep him in health. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Let this help to reconcile us to pain and sickness, that it has been the lot of some of the best saints, and that we are directed and encouraged by their example to show before God our trouble in that case, who is for the body, and takes cognizance of its ailments.

2. He complains of inward trouble: My soul is also sorely vexed; and that is much more grievous than the vexation of the bones. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, if that be in good plight; but, if that be wounded, the grievance is intolerable. David's sickness brought his sin to his remembrance, and he looked upon it as a token of God's displeasure against him; that was the vexation of his soul; that made him cry, I am weak, heal me. It is a sad thing for a man to have his bones and his soul vexed at the same time; but this has been sometimes the lot of God's own people: nay, and this completed his complicated trouble, that it was continued upon him a great while, which is here intimated in that expostulation (Psa_6:3), Thou, O Lord! how long? To the living God we must, at such a time, address ourselves, who is the only physician both of body and mind, and not to the Assyrians, not to the god of Ekron.

II. The impression which his troubles made upon him. They lay very heavily; he groaned till he was weary, wept till he made his bed to swim, and watered his couch (Psa_6:6), wept till he had almost wept his eyes out (Psa_6:7): My eye is consumed because of grief. David had more courage and consideration than to mourn thus for any outward affliction; but, when sin sat heavily upon his conscience and he was made to possess his iniquities, when his soul was wounded with the sense of God's wrath and his withdrawings from him, then he thus grieves and mourns in secret, and even his soul refuses to be comforted. This not only kept his eyes waking, but kept his eyes weeping. Note,

[daniel1212av]

1. It has often been the lot of the best of men to be men of sorrows; our Lord Jesus himself was so. Our way lies through a vale of tears, and we must accommodate ourselves to the temper of the climate.

2. It well becomes the greatest spirits to be tender, and to relent, under the tokens of God's displeasure. David, who could face Goliath himself and many another threatening enemy with an undaunted bravery, yet melts into tears at the remembrance of sin and under the apprehensions of divine wrath; and it was no diminution at all to his character to do so.

3. True penitents weep in their retirements. The Pharisees disguised their faces, that they might appear unto men to mourn; but David mourned in the night upon the bed where he lay communing with his own heart, and no eye was a witness to his grief, but the eye of him who is all eye. Peter went out, covered his face, and wept.

4. Sorrow for sin ought to be great sorrow; so David's was; he wept so bitterly, so abundantly, that he watered his couch.

5. The triumphs of wicked men in the sorrows of the saints add very much to their grief. David's eye waxed old because of his enemies, who rejoiced in his afflictions and put bad constructions upon his tears. In this great sorrow David was a type of Christ, who often wept, and who cried out, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, Heb_5:7.

III. The petitions which he offers up to God in this sorrowful and distressed state.

1. That which he dreads as the greatest evil is the anger of God. This was the wormwood and the gall in the affliction and the misery; it was the infusion of this that made it indeed a bitter cup; and therefore he prays (Psa_6:1), O Lord! rebuke me not in thy anger, though I have deserved it, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. He does not pray, “Lord, rebuke me not; Lord, chasten me not;” for, as many as God loves he rebukes and chastens, as a father the son in whom he delights. He can bear the rebuke and chastening well enough if God, at the same time, lift up the light of his countenance upon him and by his Spirit make him to hear the joy and gladness of his loving-kindness; the affliction of his body will be tolerable if he have but comfort in his soul. No matter though sickness make his bones ache, if God's wrath do not make his heart ache; therefore his prayer is, “Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath; let me not lie under the impressions of that, for that will sink me.” Herein David was a type of Christ, whose sorest complaint, in his sufferings, was of the trouble of his soul and of the suspension of his Father's smiles. He never so much as whispered a complaint of the rage of his enemies - “Why do they crucify me?” or the unkindness of his friends - “Why do they desert me?” But he cried with a loud voice, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Let us thus deprecate the wrath of God more than any outward trouble whatsoever and always beware of treasuring up wrath against a day of affliction.

2. That which he desires as the greatest good, and which would be to him the restoration of all good, is the favour and friendship of God. He prays,

(1.) That God would pity him and look upon him with compassion. He thinks himself very miserable, and misery is the proper object of mercy. Hence he prays, “Have mercy upon me, O Lord! in wrath remember mercy, and deal not with me in strict justice.”

(2.) That God would pardon his sins; for that is the proper act of mercy, and is often chiefly intended in that petition, Have mercy upon me.

(3.) That God would put forth his power for his relief: “Lord, heal me (Psa_6:2), save me (Psa_6:4), speak the word, and I shall be whole, and all will be well.”

(4.) That he would be at peace with him: “Return, O Lord! receive me into thy favour again, and be reconciled to me. Thou hast seemed to depart from me and neglect me, nay, to set thyself at a distance, as one angry; but now, Lord, return and show thyself nigh to me.”

(5.) That he would especially preserve the inward man and the interests of that, whatever might become of the body: “O Lord! deliver my soul from sinning, from sinking, from perishing for ever.” It is an unspeakable privilege that we have a God to go to in our afflictions, and it is our duty to go to him, and thus to wrestle with him, and we shall not seek in vain.

IV. The pleas with which he enforces his petitions, not to move God (he knows our cause and the true merits of it better than we can state them), but to move himself.

1. He pleads God's mercy; and thence we take some of our best encouragements in prayer: Save me, for thy mercies' sake.

3. He pleads God's glory (Psa_6:5): “For in death there is no remembrance of thee. Lord, if thou deliver me and comfort me, I will not only give thee thanks for my deliverance, and stir up others to join with me in these thanksgivings, but I will spend the new life thou shalt entrust me with in thy service and to thy glory, and all the remainder of my days I will preserve a grateful remembrance of thy favours to me, and be quickened thereby in all instances of service to thee; but, if I die, I shall be cut short of that opportunity of honouring thee and doing good to others, for in the grave who will give the thanks?” Not but that separate souls live and act, and the souls of the faithful joyfully remember God and give thanks to him. But,

(1.) In the second death (which perhaps David, being now troubled in soul under the wrath of God, had some dreadful apprehensions of) there is no pleasing remembrance of God; devils and damned spirits blaspheme him and do not praise him. “Lord, let me not lie always under this wrath, for that is sheol, it is hell itself, and lays me under an everlasting disability to praise thee.” Those that sincerely seek God's glory, and desire and delight to praise him, may pray in faith, “Lord, send me not to that dreadful place, where there is no devout remembrance of thee, nor are any thanks given to thee.”

(2.) Even the death of the body puts an end to our opportunity and capacity of glorifying God in this world, and serving the interests of his kingdom among men by opposing the powers of darkness and bringing many on this earth to know God and devote themselves to him. Some have maintained that the joys of the saints in heaven are more desirable, infinitely more so, than the comforts of saints on earth; yet the services of saints on earth, especially such eminent ones as David was, are more laudable, and redound more to the glory of the divine grace, than the services of the saints in heaven, who are not employed in maintaining the war against sin and Satan, nor in edifying the body of Christ. Courtiers in the royal presence are most happy, but soldiers in the field are more useful; and therefore we may, with good reason, pray that if it be the will of God, and he has any further work for us or our friends to do in this world, he will yet spare us, or them, to serve him. To depart and be with Christ is most happy for the saints themselves; but for them to abide in the flesh is more profitable for the church. This David had an eye to when he pleaded this, In the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psa_30:9; Psa_88:10; Psa_115:17; Isa_38:18. And this Christ had an eye to when he said, I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world.

We should sing these verses with a deep sense of the terrors of God's wrath, which we should therefore dread and deprecate above any thing; and with thankfulness if this be not our condition, and compassion to those who are thus afflicted: if we be thus troubled, let it comfort us that our case is not without precedent, nor, if we humble ourselves and pray, as David did, shall it be long without redress. — Henry 

[daniel1212av]

Psa 6:8-10 - What a sudden change is here! Having made his request known to God, the psalmist is confident that his sorrow will be turned into joy. By the workings of God's grace upon his heart, he knew his prayer was accepted, and did not doubt but it would, in due time, be answered. His prayers will be accepted, coming up out of the hands of Christ the Mediator. The word signifies prayer made to God, the righteous Judge, as the God of his righteousness, who would plead his cause, and right his wrongs. A believer, through the blood and righteousness of Christ, can go to God as a righteous God, and plead with him for pardon and cleansing, who is just and faithful to grant both. He prays for the conversion of his enemies, or foretells their ruin. — MHCC

Psa 6:8-10 - What a sudden change is here for the better! He that was groaning, and weeping, and giving up all for gone (Psa_6:6, Psa_6:7), here looks and speaks very pleasantly. Having made his requests known to God, and lodged his case with him, he is very confident the issue will be good and his sorrow is turned into joy.

I. He distinguishes himself from the wicked and ungodly, and fortifies himself against their insults (Psa_6:8 ): Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. When he was in the depth of his distress,

1. He was afraid that God's wrath against him would give him his portion with the workers of iniquity; but now that this cloud of melancholy had blown over he was assured that his soul would not be gathered with sinners, for they are not his people. He began to suspect himself to be one of them because of the heavy pressures of God's wrath upon him; but now that all his fears were silenced he bade them depart, knowing that his lot was among the chosen.

2. The workers of iniquity had teased him, and taunted him, and asked him, “Where is thy God?” triumphing in his despondency and despair; but now he had wherewith to answer those that reproached him, for God, who was about to return in mercy to him, had now comforted his spirit and would shortly complete his deliverance.

3. Perhaps they had tempted him to do as they did, to quit his religion and betake himself for ease to the pleasures of sin. But now, “depart from me; I will never lend an ear to your counsel; you would have had me to curse God and die, but I will bless him and live.” This good use we should make of God's mercies to us, we should thereby have our resolution strengthened never to have any thing more to do with sin and sinners. David was a king, and he takes this occasion to renew his purpose of using his power for the suppression of sin and the reformation of manners, Psa_75:4; Psa_101:3. When God has done great things for us, this should put us upon studying what we shall do for him. Our Lord Jesus seems to borrow these words from the mouth of his father David, when, having all judgment committed to him, he shall say, Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity (Luk_13:27), and so teaches us to say so now, Psa_119:115.

II. He assures himself that God was, and would be, propitious to him, notwithstanding the present intimations of wrath which he was under.

1. He is confident of a gracious answer to this prayer which he is now making. While he is yet speaking, he is aware that God hears (as Isa_65:24, Dan_9:20), and therefore speaks of it as a thing done, and repeats it with an air of triumph, “The Lord hath heard” (Psa_6:8 ), and again (Psa_6:9), “The Lord hath heard.” By the workings of God's grace upon his heart he knew his prayer was graciously accepted, and therefore did not doubt but it would in due time be effectually answered. His tears had a voice, a loud voice, in the ears of the God of mercy: The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. Silent tears are not speechless ones. His prayers were cries to God: “The Lord has heard the voice of my supplication, has put his Fiat - Let it be done, to my petitions, and so it will appear shortly.”

2. Thence he infers the like favourable audience of all his other prayers: “He has heard the voice of my supplication, and therefore he will receive my prayer; for he gives, and does not upbraid with former grants.”

III. He either prays for the conversion or predicts the destruction of his enemies and persecutors, Psa_6:10.

1. It may very well be taken as a prayer for their conversion: “Let them all be ashamed of the opposition they have given me and the censures they have passed upon me. Let them be (as all true penitents are) vexed at themselves for their own folly; let them return to a better temper and disposition of mind, and let them be ashamed of what they have done against me and take shame to themselves.”

2. If they be not converted, it is a prediction of their confusion and ruin. They shall be ashamed and sorely vexed (so it maybe read), and that justly. They rejoiced that David was vexed (Psa_6:2, Psa_6:3), and therefore, as usually happens, the evil returns upon themselves; they also shall be sorely vexed. Those that will not give glory to God shall have their faces filled with everlasting shame.

In singing this, and praying over it, we must give glory to God, as a God ready to hear prayer, must own his goodness to us in hearing our prayers, and must encourage ourselves to wait upon him and to trust in him in the greatest straits and difficulties. — Henry

[daniel1212av]

(Psalm 7)  "Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: {2} Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. {3} O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; {4} If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) {5} Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

{6} Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. {7} So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. {8} The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. {9} Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

{10} My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. {11} God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. {12} If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. {13} He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. {14} Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. {15} He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. {16} His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. {17} I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high."