Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 5:12
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield.
12. The R.V. follows the Massoretic punctuation in transferring lord to the second half of the verse:
O lord, thou wilt compass him with favour as with a shield.
a shield ] A buckler, or large shield to protect the whole body. Cp. Psa 35:2, Psa 91:4; 1Sa 17:7. From 1Ki 10:16-17 it would seem that the ‘buckler’ (A.V. ‘target’) was about double the size of the ‘shield.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous – It is one of the characteristics of God that, while he will punish the wicked, he will show favor to the righteous; while he brings deserved punishment upon the one, he will show his favor to the other.
With favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield – That is, as a shield is thrown round or before one in the day of battle to protect him, so wilt thou throw thy protection around the righteous. For a description of a shield, see the notes at Eph 6:16. Compare the notes at Psa 3:3. On these accounts, David felt that he might trust in God in the day of trouble and danger; and, on the same account, all who are righteous may put their trust in him now.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous] A righteous soul is a peculiar object of God’s affectionate regards; and therefore will be a subject of continual blessing.
With favour] Literally, Like a shield, thy favour will crown him. God loves such; and this love is their defence. In all places, times and circumstances, it will preserve them. “Keep yourselves,” says the apostle, “in the love of God.” He who abides in this love need not fear the face of any adversary. Thus ended the morning’s devotion of this excellent man: a model by which every Christian may frame his own.
ANALYSIS OF THE FIFTH PSALM
This Psalm consists of FIVE parts: –
I. An introduction, in which he petitions to be heard; professes his earnestness about it, Ps 5:1-3; and his confidence of audience.
II. He delivers his petition, Ps 5:8; and the reason of it-his enemies.
III. These enemies he circumstantially describes, Ps 5:9.
IV. He prophesies that God will destroy them, Ps 5:10.
V. He prays for the Church, that God would preserve it, Ps 5:11-12.
I.
1. In the entrance he prays very earnestly for audience; he shows that he meant to be serious and fervent in it; and he chooses a variety of words to express the same thing, which rise by degrees in the description: 1. He rises from meditation; 2. To words; 3. From words to a voice; 4. From a voice to a cry. Then he desires God, 1. To consider. 2, To give ear. 3. To hearken. 1. He considers, who weighs the justice of the cause. 2. He gives ear, who would understand what the suppliant means. 3. He attends and hearkens, who intends to satisfy the petitioner.
2. The reasons he uses here to beget audience are very considerable: –
1. The relation that was between him and his God: “Thou art my King and my God.”
2. That he would sue to none other: “To thee will I pray;” which he illustrates, 1. From the time. It is a morning petition. 2. It was a well composed and ordered prayer. 3. He would lift up his eyes with it; that is, have all his hope and expectation exercised in it. “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning; I will direct my prayer unto thee, and look up.”
3. The third reason is taken from the nature of God: whom he will and whom he will not hear. 1. Persevering sinners God will not regard. 2. To the upright he is ready to look. The sinners whom God will not hear he thus describes: 1. Men who delighted in wickedness, evil, foolish workers of iniquity – liars – blood-thirsty and deceitful. Now it was not likely that God should hear such: “For thou art not a God who hast pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee.” These it is said he hated; these he would destroy; these he did abhor. 2. But on the contrary, he who was faithful; who relied on God; who feared the Lord; who attended the ordinances of his house; who worshipped towards his temple; and who came, not trusting to himself, but in the multitude of God’s mercies; him he would hear.
II. David, having petitioned for audience, and delivered the grounds of his confidence, brings forth his petition that his life may be holy and innocent: –
1. “Lead me in thy righteousness.”
2. “Make thy way straight before me.” For which he gives this reason: “Because of mine enemies.”
III. These his enemies he circumstantially describes: –
1. By their MOUTH: “There is no faithfulness in their mouth.”
2. By their HEART: “Their inward parts are very wickedness.”
3. By their THROAT: “Their throat is an open sepulchre.”
4. By their TONGUE: “They flatter with their tongue.”
IV. Then he proceeds to prophesy against these enemies: –
1. God will destroy them.
2. They shall fall by their own counsels.
3. They shall be cast out in the multitude of their transgressions. For which predictions he gives this reason: They are rebels. For they have rebelled against thee. Rebels, not against David, but against God. They have not rejected me, but they have rejected thee.
V. The conclusion contains his prayer for God’s people, whom he here describes: 1. They are righteous. 2. They put their trust in God. 3. They love his name.
And he prays for them, that, 1. They may be happy; that they may shout for joy. 2. They may be joyful in God.
And he expects an answer; because, 1. God defends them. 2. He will continue to bless them. 3. He will with his favour compass them as with a shield.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Thou art resolved, and hast engaged thyself by promise and covenant, to bless them; and therefore my prayer for them is agreeable to thy will.
With favour; with thy love and gracious providence.
Wilt thou compass him as with a shield, i.e. keep him safe on every side.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. with favouror,”acceptance,” alluding to the favor shown to an acceptableoffering and worshipper (Lev 7:18;Lev 19:7).
shield(compare Ps3:3).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous. As he has blessed him with a righteousness, even the righteousness of God imputed to him, by which he is denominated righteous, and with the forgiveness of his sins; so he will bless him with peace and prosperity, with all spiritual blessings, with the blessings of grace here, and glory hereafter. Hence he has just reason to rejoice and be glad;
with favour wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield: by which is meant the free favour, love, and grace of God in Christ, which springs from his sovereign will and pleasure; is his good will to men, and the exceeding riches of his grace, shown in his kindness towards them in Christ Jesus: and the compassing or crowning of the righteous with it, as the word x signifies, is expressive of the abundance of it, in the application of it to them in conversion, and in every instance and blessing of grace; for such are crowned with lovingkindness and tender mercies; the grace of the Lord is exceeding abundant towards them, it flows and overflows; it surrounds them on all sides, and covers them all over: it is as a shield unto them from all their enemies,
Ps 40:11; and which being held in the hand of faith, quenches the fiery darts of Satan; and is the saints security from every enemy, and from all hurt and danger, here or hereafter; see Zep 3:17; and is a crown of glory upon them, which makes them glorious, lovely, and amiable. Some interpret this of Christ the righteous One; so Nebiensis.
x , Sept. “coronasti nos”, V. L. Arab. Ethiop. “coronabis cum”, Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. For thou, Jehovah, wilt bless the righteous. The Psalmist here confirms the concluding sentence of the preceding verse, namely, that all the servants of God in common will take support to their faith from what he had experienced, for he would have us from one example to form our judgment of the immutability and perpetuity of God’s grace towards all the godly. Again, by this he teaches us that there is no true and right joy but that which is derived from the sense of God’s fatherly love. The word, to bless, in Hebrew, (when we speak of this as the act of men,) signifies to wish happiness and prosperity to any one, and to pray for him; (79) but when it is spoken of as the act of God, it signifies the same thing as to prosper a man, or to enrich him abundantly with all good things; for since the favor of God is efficacious, his blessing of itself produces an abundance of every good thing. The name righteous is not restricted to any one man, but signifies in general all the servants of God. Those, however, who are called righteous in Scripture, are not so called on account of the merit of their works, but because they aspire after righteousness; for after God has received them into his favor, by not imputing their sins to them, he accepts their upright endeavors for perfect righteousness. What follows is of the same import as the preceding clause, Thou wilt crown them with thy free favor, or good will, as with a shield The Psalmist’s meaning is, that the faithful shall be completely defended on all sides, since he will, in no case, withhold from them his grace, which is to them an invincible fortress, and brings along with it certain safety. The word, to crown, which the Psalmist employs, often denotes in Hebrew, ornament or glory; but as there is added the similitude of a shield, I have no doubt but he uses it metaphorically for, to fortify or to compass about. (80) The meaning, therefore, is, that however great and various may be the dangers which besiege the righteous, they shall, notwithstanding, escape, and be saved, because God is favorable to them.
(79) “ Signifie, souhaitter bien et prosperite a quelquun et prier pour luy.” — Fr.
(80) Bishop Horsley thinks כצנה, katsinah, as with a shield, should be construed with רצונ ratson, favor or good will, and translates the words thus: ”Like a shield of good will, thou wilt stand guard around him.” The reading of the Septuagint is the same: Ως ὁπλω εὐδοκιας, as with a shield of good will. The word צנה tsinah, means that kind of shield, from the middle of which there arose a large boss, surmounted by a dagger and which was highly useful both as a defensive and an offensive weapon in ancient warfare.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Psa 5:12. For thou, Lord, wilt bless Yes, thou, Lord, wilt bless; Mudge: who observes, that David seems here to receive the signal that he had been looking for. The word tsinnah, rendered a shield, agreeably to its other significations, must mean some pointed weapon, as a spear. So that the clause should be rendered, Thou wilt encircle him with favour, as with a fence of spears; as a prince is encircled with spears or spearmen.
REFLECTIONS.1st. The cries of his people are ever pleasing to the ears of the God of Sabaoth, and he will hear and help them. This David knew, and therefore lifts up his heart and voice to God. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. His lips were not hasty to speak; he first deeply pondered his wants, and then he uttered his petition. Hearken unto the voice of my cry; as his distress was urgent, his importunity was great. Note; Fervour is the life of prayer; cold and negligent requests shew a heart dead to God. The arguments that he uses, as a plea for being heard, are,
1. The relation in which he stood to God. My King, and my God; thou art not only all-sufficient to help me, as the almighty King and eternal God, but in a tender and gracious sense bound to help me, as I am thy subject, and servant, and child in the Beloved. Note; A believing view of God as our God, is a great encouragement to pray.
2. The constant service that he resolved to pay him. For unto thee will I pray, as the only object of my worship, and with ceaseless attendance. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord: no sooner shall my eyes behold the returning light, than early will I offer unto thee the grateful acknowledgment of protection received, and put my body and soul anew under thy care, to be kept from the dangers of the day. Note; The morning is a time peculiarly fit to spend with God in prayer, and our first moments should ever be consecrated to the service of that God who wakeneth us morning by morning. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up, or out. As when a messenger is dispatched on some important errand, the eye is eager to catch the distant glimpse of his return; so does the soul, that sends to heaven its supplications and prayers, wait with earnestness the returning answer of peace. For want of this, how many prayers become fruitless, because formal!
3. He mentions God’s purity, as a foundation of his hope, conscious of his own simplicity, and convinced of the wickedness of his troublers. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. Sin is the abominable thing that God hates; it is contrary to his nature, and therefore all who love, delight in, and serve sin, must be the objects of his abhorrence. The foolish, or wicked, (for, wickedness is the height of folly,) shall not stand in thy sight, shall be unable to bear his presence in the day of judgment, driven out with indignation, saying, Depart ye cursed, &c. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity; not all that have been workers of it; for when we were yet sinners, God commended his love towards us, and sent his Son to die for the ungodly: but all who, rejecting the grace of a Redeemer, persist in their impenitence, and work iniquity as their practice and delight, these the holy God hates. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing, or a lie; all the forgers and propagators of false reports to hurt and defame. The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man, the implacable and unmerciful. These are the characters marked for vengeance, not only in David’s day, but in every age and place. Such enemies of Christ and his people, foolish, wicked, malicious, false, blood-thirsty men, shall be destroyed with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power. Lord, gather not my soul with these sinners!
2nd, Having described the miserable ways and end of the ungodly, we have David’s resolution and prayer, that he may take a different course. But as for me, I will come into thy house, to worship there, as one of thy devoted servants, and publickly to make profession of my bounden duty; not that I am worthy to open my polluted lips, or to mention my worthless service; but in the multitude of thy mercy, this being the only ground of a sinner’s confidence towards God, the mercy revealed in a covenant of grace through Jesus Christ: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple; with reverence adoring the eternal Majesty who is so greatly to be feared; careful to observe his instituted ordinances, as well as drawing near through the divinely-appointed medium, the great Mediator between God and man, whom the temple and all its service prefigured.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
PRECIOUS Jesus! how blessed to thy people art thou in every view; and in those views most eminently in which we behold thee going before thy church, as our great High Priest and Representative in the service of the sanctuary! Here would our souls unceasingly contemplate thee, as engaging thine heart to approach for us before Jehovah, in the vast undertakings of our Mediator. Thou didst draw nigh to God, as an absolute God. Thou didst personally engage to approach to the throne of infinite holiness and infinite power. Thou wert found worthy, from the holiness of thy nature, to draw nigh without a Mediator, for thou neededst none, and God declared himself well pleased for thy righteousness sake. And now, Lord; we can and do approach and draw nigh in and through thee. Yes! blessed, forever blessed be thy name, we have access by one Spirit to the Father through thee; and, having such an High Priest over the house of God, we may come boldly to the mercy seat, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in all time of need. Holy Father! I would now say, my voice shalt thou hear betimes in the morning; I will look up in that dear and ever precious name, in whom can never look up in vain. I will make mention of Jesus. I shall find boldness in his blood and righteousness; for thou, Lord, wilt bless him, and bless his people in him, and defend all his redeemed here, and crown them with endless joy hereafter, for his name and righteousness sake. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
“Handfuls of Purpose”
For All Gleaners
“For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” Psa 5:12
The word “shield” refers to a shield so long and large as to be meant for one who is of gigantic stature; it was indeed intended not only to protect part of the soldier, but to defend the whole body against harm. It is said of Luther that when he was asked where he would find shelter if his patrons should desert him, answered, “Under the shield of heaven.” Notice that it is always character on which the blessing of God rests. God will “bless the righteous,” will bless pure character, will not forsake uprightness of soul, will follow with his favour the life that rests in him and looks to him for law as well as for consolation. We need not trouble ourselves about the defence if we make an earnest business of endeavouring to produce the character; in other words, if we endeavour daily with constancy of prayer and practice to become “righteous.” The picture of the text is that of a man who is shielded all over, verily compassed with a shield; we are at liberty to strain the figure, because the meaning is that we are to be defended by God at every point and on every side, from head to foot, behind and before, so that there shall be no place accessible to the enemy. Beautiful is the idea that favour or grace is to be the encompassing shield. There shall be no burden in bearing this defence. It is not duty, it is not discipline, it is not self-immolation that supplies the shield; it is God’s grace, God’s tenderness, God’s gentleness. God is equally strong at every point, by the very necessity of his Godhead; his tenderness is as invincible as his almightiness. His tears are as terrible to the enemy as are his thunderbolts. The soul that reposes in God can say lovingly and gratefully, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” Those who are in Christ are continually exclaiming, “By grace are we saved.” We stand and live, we act and suffer, not in the omnipotence of God as an abstract attribute, but in the love of God, which is his almightiness in its most tender and helpful attitude. If the Lord is with us, who can be against us? If we are right, how can we be weak? If righteousness could finally go down in any conflict, God himself would go down in that collapse. The righteous God is the Almighty God. Let us therefore trust him with loving hearts, never questioning either his ability or his willingness to interpose for us according to our varying necessity.
Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker
Psa 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield.
Ver. 12. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous ] Yea, the righteous man shall abound with blessings, Pro 28:20 ; yea, God will bless all them that bless him, Gen 12:3 , or that but give him a cup of cold water, Mat 10:42
With favour
Wilt thou compass him
Nobilis es fateor, rutilisque onerata lapillis,
Innumeris curis sed comitata venis.
Quod bene si nossent omnes expendere, nemo
Nemo foret qui te tollere vellet humo.
As with a shield
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bless the righteous = bless the justified one. Compare Psa 1:1; Psa 2:12; Psa 3:8.
favour. This is the “shield”. In His favour is “life” (Psa 30:5); “preservation” (Psa 86:2, margin); “security” (Psa 41:11); “mercy “(Isa 60:10). Hence the prayer of Psa 106:4.
as. Figure of speech Simile. App-6.
a shield. Hebrew. zinnah, a shield of the largest size. See 1Sa 17:7, 1Sa 17:41. “Only here, Psa 35:2 (buckler), and Psa 91:4 in the Psalms. In other Psalms it is magen, smaller both in size and weight (compare 1Ki 10:17. 2Ch 9:16). The shield is the “favour” of Jehovah mentioned above.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bless: Psa 1:1-3, Psa 3:8, Psa 29:11, Psa 112:1, Psa 115:13
wilt: Psa 32:10
compass: Heb. crown
shield: Psa 3:3, Psa 84:11
Reciprocal: Gen 15:1 – thy shield Num 6:27 – and I will 2Sa 8:6 – the Lord 2Sa 22:3 – shield Job 1:10 – an hedge Psa 11:7 – his Psa 17:7 – savest Psa 18:35 – shield Psa 30:7 – by thy Psa 32:7 – compass Psa 33:22 – General Psa 65:11 – crownest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour {i} wilt thou compass him as [with] a shield.
(i) So that he will be safe from all dangers.