TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 5:1–6. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
7 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Because of grace this hymn is sung, in behalf of the individual spirit or for the church called out for the divine inheritance, not a natural one but a spiritual one.
Who is she who is to obtain the inheritance? I believe it is the church, for it is the church who receives the inheritance.… David sings at the beginning that the church wins the inheritance at the end.… There are, however, several other interpretations. Many say that the psalm accords with the history of the people of Israel who long to return to Judea from Babylon, but they have failed to interpret “unto the end” and “for her that obtains the inheritance.” We, then, by “combining spiritual with spiritual” shall endeavor with the help of your prayers to consider this psalm as applying to the church.
Whom does God hate? The evildoer. But if we are all sinners and every sinner is hated by God, it would naturally follow that we are all hated by God. If, however, we are all hated by God, how is it that we have been saved by grace?.… The psalmist did not say those who have been guilty of wrongdoing, but those who are wrongdoers. Those who persevere in sin are those who are held in abhorrence by God, but those who abandon the ways of sin are loved by the Lord.… These words are intended for sinners who are persisting in sin.
There are many who insist that the titles do not belong to the psalms but who really do not know why they hold such a view. If the titles were not found in all the manuscripts—Hebrew, Greek and Latin—their position would be tenable. Since, however, there are titles in the Hebrew books, and this one in particular marks the fifth psalm, I am amazed at the implication that there can be anything in Scripture without reason. If it be true that “not one jot or one title shall be lost from the Law,” how much more shall not a word or a syllable be lost?
"Nor shall the unrighteous abide before Your eyes." [Psalm 5:5] For their eyes, that is, their mind is beaten back by the light of truth, because of the darkness of their sins; by the habitual practice of which they are not able to sustain the brightness of right understanding. Therefore even they who see sometimes, that is, who understand the truth, are yet still unrighteous, they abide not therein through love of those things, which turn away from the truth. For they carry about with them their night, that is, not only the habit, but even the love, of sinning. But if this night shall pass away, that is, if they shall cease to sin, and this love and habit thereof be put to flight, the morning dawns, so that they not only understand, but also cleave to the truth.
"You have hated all that work iniquity." [Psalm 5:5] God's hatred may be understood from that form of expression, by which every sinner hates the truth. For it seems that she too hates those, whom she suffers not to abide in her. Now they do not abide, who cannot bear the truth.
"For You are not a God who hast pleasure in iniquity. The malignant man shall not dwell near You, nor shall the unrighteous abide before Your eyes. You have hated all that work iniquity, You will destroy all that speak a lie. The man of blood, and the crafty man, the Lord will abominate" [Psalm 5:4-6]. Iniquity, malignity, lying, homicide, craft, and all the like, are the night of which we speak: on the passing away of which, the morning dawns, that God may be seen. He has unfolded the reason, then, why he will stand by in the morning, and see: "For," he says, "You are not a God who hast pleasure in iniquity." For if He were a God who had pleasure in iniquity, He could be seen even by the iniquitous, so that He would not be seen in the morning, that is, when the night of iniquity is over.
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Summary
Psalms 5:5 powerfully articulates God's absolute holiness and His unwavering opposition to sin and those who persistently practice it. It declares that individuals characterized by moral folly and active wickedness cannot endure or find favor in the divine presence, for God's very nature is diametrically opposed to all forms of unrighteousness. This verse serves as a profound statement on divine justice, emphasizing that God's hatred is not a capricious emotion but a righteous, unwavering antipathy toward evil itself and those who embody it, ensuring their ultimate rejection from His holy sight.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 5 is a morning prayer of lament and petition, opening with David's earnest cry for God to hear his voice and attend to his supplication. It is framed by David's profound confidence in God's righteousness and his desperate plea for protection from his enemies. The verses immediately preceding Psalms 5:5 describe God's abhorrence of deceit and violence, stating that "the wicked shall not dwell with thee" and "thou hatest all workers of iniquity" (Psalms 5:4-5). This verse thus functions as a foundational theological statement underpinning David's expectation of divine intervention and judgment against his adversaries, reinforcing the stark contrast between God's holy character and the depravity of the wicked. It is followed by David's plea for God to lead him in righteousness and to destroy his enemies, confident in God's ultimate justice and His blessing upon the righteous. The psalm moves from lament to confident petition, grounded in God's character.
Historical & Cultural Context
Penned by David, this psalm likely reflects a period of intense personal or national distress, possibly during his flight from Saul, facing the rebellion of Absalom, or confronting other hostile adversaries. In ancient Israel, kings often served as judges, and appeals to a higher, righteous authority were common, especially when human justice seemed to fail. David, as king, understood the importance of justice and righteousness for a stable society, and his appeals to God reflect the societal expectation that true justice emanates from a divine, unwavering source. The "foolish" and "workers of iniquity" would have represented those who actively defied God's covenant laws and societal norms, often engaging in oppression, deceit, and violence, which were seen as direct affronts to God's established order and the well-being of the community. The concept of "standing in thy sight" implies a position of favor, acceptance, or even a legal standing before a judge, which the wicked are denied in the divine court.
Key Themes
Psalms 5:5 contributes significantly to several key themes within the Psalter and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the absolute holiness and righteousness of God, asserting that His nature is fundamentally incompatible with evil. This divine purity is a recurring motif throughout Scripture, as seen in passages like Habakkuk 1:13 where God's eyes are described as "too pure to behold evil." Secondly, it highlights the consequences of wickedness, specifically that those who persist in moral folly and rebellion against God cannot endure His holy presence or receive His approval. This resonates deeply with the warning in Psalms 1:5 that "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment." Thirdly, the verse expresses God's righteous antipathy towards sin, clarifying that His "hatred" is not human malice but a holy, principled opposition to all that is contrary to His perfect will and character. This divine stance against evil is also powerfully articulated in Psalms 11:5 where God's soul "hates the wicked and him that loveth violence."
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Derived from H1984, this term signifies more than mere intellectual deficiency. While it can mean to be "clamorously foolish" or to "rave," in a moral and spiritual context, it describes one who is morally depraved, spiritually insensitive, and rebellious against God's wisdom and commands. It characterizes individuals whose actions are marked by a practical atheism, living as if God does not exist or as if His moral order is irrelevant. Such a person is ethically corrupt, often acting violently or deceitfully, and is fundamentally alienated from divine truth.
The verb "to stand" in this context carries significant theological weight. It implies the ability to endure, to be established, to be approved, or to maintain one's position in the presence of a superior authority. For the foolish to "not stand in thy sight" means they cannot abide in God's holy presence, receive His favor, or escape His righteous judgment. It denotes a state of rejection and ultimate condemnation, contrasting sharply with those who are upheld and sustained by God.
This word refers to "nothingness," "trouble," "vanity," or "wickedness." It encompasses a broad range of moral and spiritual corruption, including idolatry, affliction, and mischief. When combined with "workers" (H6466, pâʻal, meaning to do or make systematically), "workers of iniquity" describes individuals who are not merely occasional sinners but those who habitually and intentionally engage in harmful, unjust, or sinful acts, making iniquity their regular and defining practice. This highlights the active and intentional nature of their rebellion against God's righteous standards.
Verse Breakdown
"The foolish shall not stand in thy sight:"
This clause declares the utter inability of the morally depraved and spiritually rebellious to endure or be accepted in God's holy presence. Their inherent corruption, practical atheism, and rejection of divine wisdom render them incompatible with the pure and righteous nature of God. It implies a divine judgment where the wicked are exposed and found wanting, unable to withstand the scrutiny of perfect holiness. This is not about physical proximity but about spiritual and moral standing before the Almighty, signifying rejection and condemnation.
"thou hatest all workers of iniquity."
This second clause provides the reason for the first, asserting God's profound and righteous antipathy towards sin and those who habitually practice it. God's "hatred" (H8130, sânêʼ) is not an irrational or vindictive emotion but a holy, principled opposition to all that is contrary to His perfect character and will. It signifies a complete separation and decisive rejection of evil, underscoring His commitment to justice and His unwavering stand against all forms of unrighteousness. This divine hatred is directed at the act and persistent practice of sin, not a malicious desire for the destruction of the individual that precludes repentance.
Literary Devices
Psalms 5:5 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound theological message. The verse primarily utilizes Synonymous Parallelism, where the two clauses ("The foolish shall not stand in thy sight" and "thou hatest all workers of iniquity") express the same core idea in different but reinforcing ways. The "foolish" are equated with "workers of iniquity," and their inability to "stand in thy sight" is directly linked to God's "hatred" of their actions, creating a strong, unified statement of divine judgment and moral order. Anthropomorphism is evident in the phrase "thou hatest," attributing a human emotion (hatred) to God. This device makes God's intense opposition to sin relatable and comprehensible to human readers, emphasizing the depth of His righteous indignation against evil, while simultaneously clarifying that this is a holy, principled hatred, not a human vice. Furthermore, the phrase "shall not stand in thy sight" functions as a powerful Metaphor or Imagery, representing not a literal physical inability to stand, but a spiritual and judicial inability to be approved, accepted, or to endure in the presence of a perfectly holy God. It powerfully conveys the idea of divine rejection and ultimate condemnation for those who persist in wickedness.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 5:5 serves as a cornerstone for understanding God's character as both holy and just, revealing His unwavering commitment to righteousness and His active opposition to all forms of evil. It profoundly shapes our understanding of divine judgment, emphasizing that God's nature necessitates a separation from sin, and that those who persistently choose a path of moral folly and iniquity will ultimately face His righteous disapproval. This verse underscores the biblical truth that God is not indifferent to human actions; rather, His perfect holiness demands a response to unrighteousness, ensuring that justice will prevail. It sets the stage for the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive plan, which addresses the very problem of human sin that this verse highlights, ultimately pointing to the need for divine intervention to reconcile humanity to a holy God.
Reflection and Application
Psalms 5:5 presents both a comforting assurance and a sobering challenge for the believer. In a world often marred by injustice and the apparent triumph of wickedness, this verse offers profound comfort, reminding us that God is actively engaged in upholding righteousness. His holy character ensures that evil will not ultimately prevail and that those who practice iniquity will not stand in His sight. This truth provides a foundation for hope and peace, knowing that divine justice is not merely a concept but an active reality that will ultimately bring all things into alignment with His perfect will. Simultaneously, the verse serves as a powerful call to self-examination and a pursuit of personal righteousness. Since God hates iniquity, believers are compelled to align their lives with His holy character, actively pursuing wisdom, justice, and purity. It is a stark reminder that our walk with God demands a decisive turning away from all forms of "foolishness" and "iniquity," recognizing that our actions have eternal consequences. The verse implicitly invites repentance, for while God hates sin, His ultimate desire is for all to turn from their wicked ways and find reconciliation with Him, embodying the wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God truly "hate" people, or just their sin?
The biblical concept of God's "hatred" (שָׂנֵאתָ - sânêʼ) as expressed in Psalms 5:5 and other passages like Psalms 11:5 is a complex theological point. It is crucial to understand that this "hatred" is not a capricious, human emotion of malice or vindictiveness. Instead, it signifies God's absolute, holy, and principled opposition to all that is contrary to His perfect nature and will. God's hatred is directed at the act of sin, the practice of iniquity, and the rebellion against His righteousness. While He hates the sin, His desire for the sinner is often presented as one of mercy and a call to repentance, as seen in Ezekiel 33:11, where He declares, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." He hates the works of iniquity because they defile His creation, harm His image-bearers, and stand in direct defiance of His holy character. Therefore, it is a holy antipathy towards evil itself, which necessarily manifests as a rejection of those who persistently embody and practice that evil without repentance.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 5:5, with its declaration that "the foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity," finds its ultimate fulfillment and profoundest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament reveals God's holy opposition to sin, it is in Christ that the full weight of this divine hatred for iniquity is borne and overcome. Jesus, as the incarnate Son of God, perfectly embodied righteousness, having "loved righteousness, and hated iniquity" (as stated in Hebrews 1:9). He is the only one who could truly "stand in thy sight" without blemish, being without sin and perfectly fulfilling all of God's righteous demands. For humanity, who are all "workers of iniquity" (as Romans 3:23 declares, "for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"), the inability to stand before a holy God is a terrifying reality. However, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, bore the full wrath of God against sin, becoming sin for us (as 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains). Now, through faith in Him, believers are clothed in His righteousness and can "stand" before God, not on their own merit, but by grace through the imputed righteousness of Christ. The "foolish" who reject Christ remain under God's righteous judgment, unable to stand, as Jesus Himself will declare to "workers of lawlessness" in Matthew 7:23, "I never knew you; depart from me." Thus, Christ is both the perfect standard of righteousness against which all iniquity is judged, and the merciful means by which sinners can be reconciled to a holy God and finally stand in His sight, having been made righteous in Him.