Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 5:8
Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
8. The prayer for guidance which is the main object and central thought of the Psalm.
Lead me in thy righteousness ] i.e. because Thou art righteous. A comparison of Psa 23:3; Pro 8:20; Pro 12:28; might incline us to understand the meaning to be, ‘Lead me in the path of right conduct which Thou hast marked out for me:’ but the true parallels are Psa 31:1, Psa 71:2, Psa 119:40, Psa 143:1; Psa 143:11; which shew clearly that God’s own righteousness is meant. One element of that righteousness is faithfulness to His saints in the fulfilment of covenant promises, and to this the Psalmist appeals.
because of mine enemies ] A peculiar word found only in Psa 27:11, Psa 54:5, Psa 56:2, Psa 59:10. Render, as in R.V. margin, them that lie in wait for me, like fowlers (Jer 5:26, R.V.), or a leopard for its prey (Hos 13:7). He prays that he may be preserved from falling into their snares.
make thy way straight ] Or, as P.B.V. and R.V., plain. The word means both level and straight. The godly man’s life is a path marked out for him by God (Psa 17:5, Psa 73:24, Psa 86:11). He prays that it may be such that he may be in no danger of stumbling or losing his way. ‘Bring us not into temptation.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness – That is, conduct me safely in the manifestation of the principles of justice or righteousness which belong to thy nature. David felt assured that his was a righteous cause, and that he might make his appeal to God on the ground of the justness of that cause. Such a ground of appeal is always proper when we are in danger or in trouble from the injustice of others, for we may always ask of God to interpose, and to cause that which is right to be done.
Because of mine enemies – On account of my enemies, or in respect to them; that is, that they may not triumph, but that I may be vindicated and may be delivered from them.
Make thy way straight before my face – The way in which thou wouldst have me to walk. That is, mark out or make plain before me the path for me to tread – the path in which thou wilt deliver me. He was in perplexity, and knew not which way to go, and he looks up to God for guidance and direction.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 5:8
Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness.
A resolve and a prayer
God is addressed as a friend. Three things in Davids prayer.
1. What is the rule according to which he looks for this Divine guidance? Lead me in Thy righteousness. The righteousness here is Gods faithfulness. All Gods dealings with His people have been faithful.
2. Why he wishes this leading. It is that he may be divinely instructed in the right path. The Christian may sometimes be in a state of great perplexity as to the way he should go. He desires Divine guidance in the path of Christian experience, in the path of practice, and in the path of precept.
3. The motive he pleads to enforce it with God. The margin reads–Because of my observers. Who are our observers? The world, fellow Christians, ministers, angels, and God. (William Jay.)
Make Thy way straight before my face.—
Practical paths
Two men aspire to be inventors of first-rate rank. The one spends all his life in study and experiment, and lights upon nothing new; but the other has some surprising discovery to put before the public every year or two. How do we explain the difference? Is it luck and nothing more? The unsuccessful inventor, with perhaps equal ingenuity, is following impracticable and unremunerative paths for a lifetime. The successful inventor knows in what direction others have toiled without profit, and scarcely ever spends a week on a misleading scent. His shrewd despair of finding anything new or remunerative in certain directions shuts him up to one golden path of fruitful research. (Thomas G. Selby.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness] When entered into the house, and prostrated before the temple, he knew that, unless God continued to lead and direct, he was not likely to profit even by such great advantages. We need God not only to bring us to his house, but to keep our feet while we are there.
Because of mine enemies] His conduct was marked; his enemies looked upon and watched him with an evil eye. They would have been glad of his halting, that they might have brought a reproach on the good cause which he had espoused. O how cautiously should those walk who make a profession of living to God, of knowing themselves to be in his favour, and of being delivered from all sin in this life!
Make thy way straight] Show me that I must go right on; and let thy light always shine on my path, that I may see how to proceed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Lead me; direct my heart, and counsels, and affairs, and all the course and actions of my life.
In thy righteousness; in thy righteous laws; which sometimes are called righteousness, as Psa 119:172; Mat 3:15. Or, for, or because of, or according to thy righteousness; which is a phrase and argument frequently used in this Book of Psalms.
Because of mine enemies; either,
1. That I may give them no occasion of slandering me, or religion for my sake. Or rather,
2. Because they are most malicious and mischievous, and withal cunning and treacherous, as he describes them in the next verse, (which he useth as an argument to enforce this petition,) and they lay snares for me, and if thou dost not assist me, will be too hard for me, and will triumph over me; which will reflect dishonour upon thee also.
Thy way, i.e. the way wherein thou wouldst have me to walk, or the course which thou wouldst have me to take; for Gods precepts or counsels are most commonly called his way.
Straight, or plain, or smooth, that I may clearly discern it, and readily walk in it, without mistake, or let, or stumbling, or offence. This was a needful request, because many good men are oft at a loss what their duty is in several circumstances. And God granted this request to David, as in many other things, so in this, that he should not cut off Saul when he had opportunity and instigation to do it, 1Sa 24; 1Sa 26, but that he should wait till God took him away.
Before my face; to my view and for my walk; for men walk forward, not backward.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. enemiesliterally,”watchers” (Ps 27:11),hence special need of guidance.
in thy righteousnessanattribute implying faithfulness in promises as well as threatenings.
make thy way straightthatis, make the way of providence plain.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness,…. Not in mine, but thine; in the righteousness of God, which is revealed in the Gospel, from faith to faith, and is imputed by God, and received by faith; in this righteousness the psalmist desired to be led into the house of God, and appear before him; nor is there any other righteousness in which man can stand before God and worship. Or else the sense is, that God would lead him in the way of righteousness, in his righteous statutes, judgments, and ordinances; in which way the Lord does lead his people, Ps 23:3. Or that he would lead him for his righteousness’ sake; because of his faithfulness to his promises, that he would direct, uphold, and never leave nor forsake him. David was very sensible that the way of man is not in himself, and that he could not direct his own steps; and therefore desired to be guided by the Lord, and to be led by the right hand of his righteousness, and to be upheld by it in his ways:
because of mine enemies; or, “those that observe me” l that lie in wait and watch for my halting, as Jeremiah’s enemies did; and would rejoice at my fall, and insult me, and blaspheme thy name; therefore lead, guide, and uphold me;
make thy way straight before my face; thy way of providence, thy way of grace, thy way of worship and duty; let it appear plain and manifest, that I may know in which way I should walk; and let all obstructions be removed out of the way, that I may walk straight on, without any difficulty or hinderance. He seems to have respect to his enemies, who lay in his way, that God would remove them; see Ps 5:9.
l “observatores meos”, Junius Tremellius, Cocceius, Michaelis so Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Ben Melech, & Ainsworth.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8. O Jehovah, lead me forth, etc. Some explain these words thus: Show me what is right, and make me wholly devoted to the practice of that righteousness which adorns thy character; and do this because of my adversaries; for the saints, impelled by the wicked practice and deceitful arts of the ungodly, are in danger of turning aside from the right way. This meaning is unquestionably a pious and a useful one. But the other interpretation is more suitable, which views the words as a prayer that God would lead his servant in safety through the midst of the snares of his enemies, and open up to him a way of escape, even when, to all appearance, he was caught and surrounded on every side. The righteousness of God, therefore, in this passage, as in many others, is to be understood of his faithfulness and mercy which he shows in defending and preserving his people. Consequently, in thy righteousness means the same thing as for or according to thy righteousness. David, desiring to have God as the guide of his path, encourages himself in the hope of obtaining his request, because God is righteous; as if he had said, Lord, as thou art righteous, defend me with thine aid, that I may escape from the wicked plots of my enemies. Of the same import is the last clause of the verse, where he prays that the way of God may be made straight before his face, in other words, that he might be delivered by the power of God from the distresses with which he was so completely surrounded, that, according to the judgment of the flesh, he never expected to find a way of escape. And thus he acknowledges how impossible it was for him to avoid being entangled in the snares of his enemies, (75) unless God both gave him wisdom, and opened up for him a way where no way is. It becomes us, after his example, to do the same thing; so that distrusting ourselves when counsel fails us, and the malice and wickedness of our enemies prevail, we may betake ourselves speedily to God, in whose hands are the issues of death, as we shall see afterwards, (Psa 69:1.)
(75) “ Par ainsi il confesse n’avoir ne dexterite ne force, ne mesme aucun moyen pour eviter les embusches des ennemis.” — Fr. “Thus he confesses that he has neither skill nor power, nor any means whatever, by which to avoid the snares of his enemies.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Enemies.Literally, those watching for, or lying in wait. Aquila and Jerome both give those lying in ambush. Gods guidance and protection would enable the good man to avoid their snares, and to walk straight in the way of righteousness. To walk in Gods way is to walk in safety.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. In thy righteousness It was not in human counsels and cognitions of right, but in Jehovah’s, that he was safe and might securely walk.
Mine enemies Strictly, my observers, those who watch for me waylayers. No human wisdom could cope with these trained and wily politicians, these ambushed “sharp shooters;” and hence it was not in cunning, but righteousness, the righteousness of God that he trusted. See Pro 10:9; 1Pe 3:13-16.
Thy way straight The clearly revealed will of God is always a blessing, as it enables men to walk safely if they be obedient.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Lead me, O YHWH, in your righteousness because of my enemies,
Make your way level before my face.’
He asks God, because He is righteous, to lead him, in view of those who lie in wait for him. He needs protection from those who are seeking to entrap him, and asks that God will show him the way ahead, and will keep his path level so that he will not stumble or fall on it.
For ‘in your righteousness’ see Psa 31:1; Psa 71:2; Psa 119:40; Psa 143:1; Psa 143:11, where it clearly means ‘because you are righteous’.
The psalmist claims no merit of his own. He can walk in righteousness because the righteous God leads him, and because he has been forgiven. But it is God Who must lead him forward and make the way before him a level plain.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Psa 5:8. Make thy ways straight, &c. Make thy way plain before me; i.e. “That I may walk on it evenly and smoothly, without stumbling, which mine enemies would gladly take hold of.” See Psa 143:10.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
The Spirit was given without measure to Jesus, and it is our happiness that from him and in him, the holy unction, poured out on the head of our glorious High Priest, our Aaron, runs down to the skirts of his clothing, even to the humblest and poorest of his people. Reader! looking up to Jesus, shall we not say, Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, even thine only, that thy way may be straight before me?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
Ver. 8. Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness ] That is, in thy faithfulness, and according to thy promise in that behalf made unto me, to be my God and guide even unto death, to lead me in the way everlasting, to direct my footsteps in thy fear, &c. Deduc me ut non titubem, saith R. David, Lead me, that I stumble not; or if I do, yet that I fall not; for he that stumbleth and falleth not gets ground.
Because of mine enemies
Make thy way straight before my face
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 5:8-10
😯 Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes;
Make Your way straight before me.
9There is nothing reliable in what they say;
Their inward part is destruction itself.
Their throat is an open grave;
They flatter with their tongue.
10Hold them guilty, O God;
By their own devices let them fall!
In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out,
For they are rebellious against You.
Psa 5:8 This is the content of the psalmist’s prayer mentioned in Psa 5:1-2.
1. lead (Qal imperative) me in Your righteousness (see Special Topic: Righteousness )
2. make Your way straight/smooth (Kethib has Hiphil, while Qere has Piel imperative, cf. NET Bible, p. 854, #4) before me (the terms righteous and straight are related theologically)
Psa 5:9 The psalmist is concerned about the words and deeds of his foes (enemies, Psa 5:8, BDB 1004).
1. there is nothing reliable/true in what they say
2. their inward parts are destruction itself
3. their throat is an open grave
4. they flatter/smooth tongue (cf. Psa 12:2)
Paul quotes this verse in his litany of OT texts which reflect the fallen nature of mankind in Rom 3:10-18.
Psa 5:10 The psalmist asks God to act against the enemies because of their words and deeds.
1. hold them guilty BDB 79, KB 95, Hiphil imperative (the opposite of justification)
2. by their own devices let them fall BDB 656, KB 709, Qal imperfect used in a jussive sense
3. in the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out BDB 623, KB 673, Hiphil imperative (i.e., from YHWH’s personal presence at worship, Psa 5:7 or at trial, Psa 5:5)
4. for they are rebellious against You BDB 598, KB 632, Qal perfect
Notice the different words the psalmist uses to describe his enemies.
1. wicked, Psa 5:4
2. boastful, Psa 5:5
3. doers of iniquity, Psa 5:5
4. speak falsehood, Psa 5:6
5. men of bloodshed, Psa 5:6
6. men of deceit, Psa 5:6
7. foes (i.e., those who lie in wait), Psa 5:8
8. nothing reliable, Psa 5:9
9. attitude of destruction, Psa 5:9
10. liar, Psa 5:9
11. transgressor, Psa 5:10
12. rebellious, Psa 5:10
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Thy way: not mine.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Lead: Psa 25:4, Psa 25:5, Psa 86:11, Psa 119:10, Psa 119:64, Psa 143:8-10, Pro 3:5, Pro 3:6
mine: Heb. those which observe me, Psa 27:11, Psa 54:5, Psa 59:10, *marg. 2Sa 12:14
make: Psa 25:4, Psa 27:11, Pro 4:25, Mat 3:3, Heb 12:13
Reciprocal: Ezr 8:21 – to seek Psa 23:3 – leadeth Psa 74:20 – habitations Psa 139:24 – and lead Pro 15:19 – the way of the righteous
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 5:8. Lead me, O Lord Direct my heart, and counsels, and affairs, and all the course and actions of my life; in thy righteousness In thy righteous laws, or, for, or, because of, or, according to, thy righteousness, a phrase and argument frequently used in the Psalms. Because of mine enemies That I may give them no occasion of slandering me, or religion for my sake. Make the way Wherein thou wouldst have me to walk, or the course thou wouldst have me to take; straight before my face Plain to my view, that I may clearly discern it, and readily, evenly, and smoothly walk in it without mistake, hinderance, or stumbling, which my enemies would gladly take hold of. Thus, a mans enemies, says Dr. Horne,
while they oblige him to pray more fervently, and to watch more narrowly over his conduct, oftentimes become his best friends.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness {f} because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
(f) Because you are just, therefore lead me out of the dangers of my enemies.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
3. Prayer for guidance 5:8-12
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Essentially what David asked for was guidance in the righteous path God trod; he did not want to walk in the way of the wicked (Psa 5:4-6; cf. Psalms 1). He wanted to clearly see the righteous way to live so he would not wander from it. Departure from it was a possibility because of the influence of the wicked.