Psalms 5 · The Lantern

Ponder my words, O Lord: consider my meditation.

From the start God examines all the words that you speak, whether they are shameful, blasphemous or lying words; whether malicious, harmful or deceitful; or whether they are words of degradation, which through their deceit are able to overwhelm the one whom the lie injures.

Understand my cry. A cry in the Scriptures is not of the voice, but of the heart. Thus to Moses it is said, 'Why criest thou to me?' though Moses had not cried out before. Understand my cry. And the apostle: 'Crying in our hearts, Abba, Father.' Surely he who cries out does not cry in the heart, but cries with the tongue. And how does the apostle say, Crying in our hearts?

Above, the Psalmist set forth a prayer against those who persecute openly; here he prays against the deceitful, lest he be deceived. And concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth a petition against the deceitful, lest he be deceived. Second, that the fallen may be restored, at "Lord, not in fury," etc.

O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I make my prayer.

If one grants that indeed each animal recognizes the cry of its own offspring in the largest and most crowded flocks, that though a thousand calves may cry, the mother knows the cry of her own young, that though a thousand lambs may bleat, the female runs to the voice of her own and it does not fall, how much more among a thousand sinners crying out does God know the cry of the…

My King and my God. He has truly dared to say, My King and my God, in whom sin does not reign in his mortal body. My King and my God. Because Thou reignest in me, and sin does not reign, therefore Thou art my God. Thou art my God, because the belly is not my god, because gold is not my god, because lust is not my god.

"Attend Thou to the voice of my supplication;" that is, to that voice, which he maketh request that God would understand: of which what the nature is, he hath already intimated, when he said, "Understand my cry. Attend Thou to the voice of my supplication, my King, and my God" (ver. 2).

My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord: early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

The person "who inherits" (as in the title of the psalm) is consecrated by prayers and by service to God as the first fruits of his daily deeds. Moreover, it is a token of his innocence to go forth from his chamber cleansed by his pure prayers and to be able to say to God, "Early in the morning I will wait on you, and I will look up."

"Because I will pray unto You [Psalm 5:3]. O Lord, in the morning You will hear my voice." What does that, which he said above, "Hear Thou," mean, as if he desired to be heard immediately?

This is the second part of the Psalm. Here he first shows that he has confidence concerning being heard. Second, the reason for his confidence, at "In the morning I will stand before you," etc. He says therefore: "You will hear my voice in the morning"; according to the letter, that is, swiftly, as if to say, in good time.

For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness: neither shall any evil dwell with thee.

It is true that evil is not from God, as is the opinion of some who say that evil has a substantial reality. For from the mouth of the Most High, the one willing there only be good, good and evil do not go forth.

"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].

Here two things should be noted. First, that the wicked are excluded from these things. Second, that they are led into the evils of punishment, at "You hate all," etc. Concerning the first, he speaks of God as of a man who loves some and hates others.

Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight: for thou hatest all them that work vanity.

Thou hatest all who work iniquity. Unhappy is he whom God hates. Who is that one whom God hates? He who works iniquity. If therefore we all sin, and whoever sins is held in hatred by God, then we are held in hatred by the Lord. But if we are held in hatred by the Lord, how have we been saved by grace? Thou hatest all who work iniquity.

"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.

Here he shows how they are led to punishment, and he sets forth a threefold order. For there is a threefold degree in the way someone hates another. First, he holds him in hatred, willing evil to him in his heart. Second, he carries this out by inflicting punishment. Third, if he has punished at some point, he nevertheless reconciles him to himself.

Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man.

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

Since evil and iniquity may not dwell with you, nor may they remain in your sight, I will enter into your house by your mercy.

But I, in the multitude of Thy mercy, will enter into Thy house. They in their iniquity go out from Thy house: I in Thy mercy enter into Thy house. I will enter into Thy house, which is the Church. I will worship toward Thy holy temple in Thy fear. That is the house which is also the temple.

Next, when he says "But I," he shows how he stands before the Lord; and concerning this he does two things. First, he shows how he approaches God. Second, what prayer he offers, at "I will worship." Someone might therefore say to him: You say that the malicious one will not dwell beside you. But are you not a sinner? How then will you stand?

Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because of mine enemies: make thy way plain before my face.

One who wishes to know and to act rightly has many adversaries. There are people and demons full of envy whom the good deeds of those acting uprightly torment.

"Direct in Your sight my way." [Psalm 5:8] Nothing is clearer, than that he here sets forth that time, in which he is journeying onward. For this is a way which is traversed not in any regions of the earth, but in the affections of the heart. "In Your sight," he says, "direct my way:" that is, where no man sees; who are not to be trusted in their praise or blame.

Above he asked that his prayer be heard; here he sets it forth. And first he prays for himself. Second, for others. Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he sets forth the prayer.

For there is no faithfulness in his mouth: their inward parts are very wickedness.

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

"For truth is not in their mouth" (ver. 9). To whose judgment of course then there is no trusting, and therefore must we fly within to conscience, and the sight of God. "Their heart is vain." How then can truth be in their mouth, whose heart is deceived by sin, and the punishment of sin?

Then when he adds "For," he assigns the reason for the petition and describes the enemies and the imminent danger. First, from the lack of good. Second, from the abundance of evil, at "For their heart," etc. The deficiency is that if they kept peace, he could be at peace with them and proceed safely.

Their throat is an open sepulchre: they flatter with their tongue.

Judge them, O God. Let them know that Thou art the judge, let them know that Thou dost regard human affairs: Thou who art to judge at the end, judge also in the present: Thou who art to judge in general, judge now in part: let those who are unwilling to feel Thee as Father feel Thee as judge. Judge them, O God. Why? for what cause?

The impious man is he who defends his own impiety, namely sin. Of such the Psalm says: "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they acted deceitfully: judge them, O God. Let them fall from their own counsels: according to the multitude of their impieties, cast them out, for they have provoked you, O Lord." Do you wish to be freed from evil?

Next, when he says "Judge," he prays for others. And first, against the wicked. Second, for the good, at "And let them rejoice." Concerning the first, he does three things. First, he asks for their judgment. Second, he determines the mode of judgment, at "Let them fall," etc.

Destroy thou them, O God; let them perish through their own imaginations: cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; for they have rebelled against thee.

It is the goal of good people to receive the inheritance promised to them, to follow the Lord, to have him living within as a companion, in accordance with those things that were promised, saying, "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

And let all rejoice who hope in Thee. Let those perish, let those of the Church rejoice. They shall exult forever. Here, forever, we ought not to speak of the present age, but of the age to come. In short, he did not say, they exult in this age; but, they shall exult, it is said of the future. For here there is sadness, but there is joy there.

Next, when he says "And let them rejoice," he sets forth the petition. And first he states it. Second, he adds the exposition, "Forever." Concerning the first, he does two things. First, he states what he asks for, namely joy; hence he says, "Let them rejoice," for this is the end of all good things. Ps.

And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice: they shall ever be giving of thanks, because thou defendest them; they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee;

What harm, after all, could come to you from the mockery of human beings, even the whole world, when the Lord of the angels praises and extols you? Just as, consequently, should he not bless you, no matter if all the inhabitants of earth and sea sang your praises, it would do you no good.

Let us consider how this psalm closes with such a sweet and fitting end, indicating with a single word the benefits of the Lord that even volumes cannot explain.… "Your good will": since the Lord's call precedes any merit, and he does not find anyone worthy, but makes him worthy, it is described as a gracious call; otherwise, it would have been called just.

Next, when he says "For," he shows why they hope. First, because of the gift of grace. Second, from the mercy of predestination, etc. From the gift of grace, hence he says, "For you have blessed the just," namely by giving him a special grace: Eph. 1: "He blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." And the mercy of predestination: Eph.

For thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous: and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield.

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