Psalm 5 — Give ear, O Lord, to my words

^5:1^ Unto the end, for her who obtains the inheritance. A psalm of David. ^5:2^ Give ear, O Lord, to my words; understand my cry. ^5:3^ Incline to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God. ^5:4a^ For to you will I pray.

^5:4b^ O Lord, in the morning you shall hear my voice. ^5:5^ In the morning I will stand before you, and will see, because you are not a God who wills iniquity. ^5:6^ Neither shall the wicked dwell near you nor shall the unjust abide before your eyes.

^5:7^ You hate all the workers of iniquity. You will destroy all who speak a lie. The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.

^5:8^ But as for me, in the multitude of your mercy, I will come into your house; I will worship towards your holy temple, in your fear.

^5:9^ Conduct me, O Lord, in your justice, because of my enemies, direct my way in your sight.

^5:10^ For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain. ^5:11a^ Their throat is an open sepulcher. They dealt deceitfully with their tongues.

^5:12b^ Judge them, O God. Let them fall from their devices. According to the multitude of their wickedness cast them out, for they have provoked you, O Lord.

^5:12^ But let all be glad who hope in you. They shall rejoice forever, and you shall dwell in them. And all those who love your name shall glory in you.

^5:13^ For you have blessed the just. O Lord, you have crowned us as with a shield of your good will.

26. Above, the psalmist openly made a prayer against persecutors; here he prays against the deceitful, that he may not be misled.

Concerning this, he discusses two things;

first, he makes a prayer against the deceitful, that he may not be deceived;

and second, asks that, having fallen, he may be renewed: Lord, rebuke me not in your indignation (Ps 6:1).

This psalm has a title in which there is something new, which is unto the end, for her who obtains the inheritance. Here, a figure and a mystery are touched upon.

The figure can be understood in two ways.

First, according to the explanation of the gloss, (Peter Lombard, Magna glossatura (Patrologia Latina [Migne], 191:93–94).) and this is found in the history of Genesis: that, when Sarah had seen the son of Hagar the Egyptian playing with Isaac her son, she was disturbed, and said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman, and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac” (Gen 21:9–10). Sarah thought this play involved tormenting Isaac. Now Abraham took grievously what Sarah had said about his son Ishmael (Gen 21:11), but God said to him, “Let it not seem grievous to you for the boy, and for your bondwoman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice for in Isaac shall your seed be called (Gen 21:12), as if to say, “Isaac will be your heir, not Ishmael.” So it is said, Abraham gave all his possessions to Isaac, but to the children of the concubines he gave gifts (Gen 25:5–6).

This psalm can be taken to refer to the fact that the Jewish people, of whom David was the head and king, received the hereditary promise to Abraham, which was symbolically significant. According to the mystery, it is the Christian people: now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise (Gal 4:28). Therefore, this psalm extends to the end, that is, to Christ, whom it praises for her, namely for the Church, which obtains the inheritance, since the synagogue has been cast out.

Taking it in another way, the title according to Jerome’s text is a song of David for the victory for the heirs, and so it can be understood that, in the literal sense, the psalm was made to celebrate a victory of David. (Jerome, Psalterium juxta Hebraios. From this point forward, references to Jerome will only be marked when the text referenced is not the pertinent verse of this work.) And it should be known that, when fleeing, David lost his inheritance through Absalom, as is recounted in 2 Samuel 16. Hence, just as the preceding psalm was on the occasion of his deliverance and victory against Absalom, so he created this one on the occasion of the recovery of his inheritance: when David returned to Jerusalem, some had already maliciously risen up against him and some others were also against him. So David commanded Amasa to gather all the men of Judah by the third day, so he could go after Sheba the son of Bikri, because Sheba the son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did (2 Sam 20:4, 6). Now he had passed through all the tribes until Abel of Bethmaacah, and all the chosen men were gathered together unto him (2 Sam 20:14). When Absalom was decapitated, David reigned over all Israel.

Therefore, three things should be considered in regard to the literal sense of this psalm.

First, he asks to be heard.

Second, he shows his confidence in being heard, at in the morning you shall hear my voice.

Third, he makes a petition, at conduct me, O Lord.

Regarding the first, he makes two points.

First, he asks to be heard.

Second, he gives the reason why he will be heard, at O my King.

It should be noted that someone who wants to ask something from someone else proceeds in this way:

first, he desires that for which he wants to ask;

second, he considers the words to use;

third, he proposes them to the one listening.

And it is the opposite for the listener:

first, through hearing, he perceives the words;

second, through his mind, he grasps the words;

third, he is moved to fulfill the petitioner’s desire.

Therefore, David proceeds this way in speaking to God.

And first, he asks for the first, namely that God hear his words exteriorly, when he says, give ear, O Lord, to my words.

Second, he asks for their meaning, that is, for the understanding of his words, when he says, understand my cry, not only the exterior but the interior emotion: my cry before him (Ps 17:7). Jerome has, understand my speech, which I thought should be put forward, and it agrees with the translation which says, meditation.

Third, he asks for the third thing, namely, the hearing of his prayer: incline to the voice of my prayer, that is, be willing to answer my prayer. O God, come to my assistance (Ps 69:2).

But surely God does not within himself act, listen, incline, and answer? It must be said that he is speaking metaphorically; he approves all these: the exterior word, the interior meditation, and what is proposed.

Second, he gives the reason for being answered when he says, O my King. In the Greek, this is the first verse.

A threefold reason for God’s answering is given.

One of these is my King. For it belongs to a king to govern. And because this pertains to God, it pertains to him to provide necessities. Who shall not fear you, O King of nations (Jer 10:7).

Another reason is that he is God, for God is the goal of our desires and our preserver. In him my heart has hoped, and I have been helped (Ps 27:7). And so he says, O my God. Should not the people seek of their God, a vision for the living of the dead? (Isa 8:19).

The third reason comes from the side of the one praying, when he says, for to you will I pray, O Lord, as if to say, “It is fitting that you answer, since you have promised to answer those who pray.” Every one who asks, receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened (Matt 7:8).

Neither does it matter that Jerome says, I beseech, while here it says, I will pray, since this indicates continuous prayer without cessation, as if to say, I will pray so that I am always beseeching. We ought always to pray, and not grow faint (Luke 18:1).

27. The second part of the psalm follows.

Here he first shows the confidence which he has of being heard.

Second, the reason for the confidence: in the morning I will stand.

Therefore, he says, you shall hear my voice. In the literal sense this means “quickly,” as if to say, “in a timely manner.” For we should hope that God will hear us quickly. At the voice of your cry, as soon as he shall hear, he will answer you (Isa 30:19). While they are yet speaking, I will hear (Isa 65:24).

The reason for confidence is expressed when he says, in the morning I will stand. Note that “in the morning” can be said about four things:

namely, about the natural day: there was evening and morning, one day (Gen 1:5);

also, about human life, and so youth is called morning: in the morning he shall flourish and pass away (Ps 89:6);

also, about the day of grace when man is first converted to God, since then he begins to have the light of grace: we are filled in the morning with your mercy (Ps 89:14);

also, about eternity, in the evening, that is, in the present life, weeping shall have place, and in the morning, that is, in eternity, gladness (Ps 29:6).

Therefore, a twofold reason for confidence is given.

First, since he stands in the morning, that is, he clings to God and prepares himself for God. So Jerome has, I will be prepared. Before prayer prepare your soul and be not like a man who tempts God (Sir 18:23).

In the morning of the day, therefore—that is, at dawn—I will stand before you, that is, reach towards you. And this is because a man is free at that time from cares, and has a freer heart to think about God. Lord, I will meditate on you in the morning (Ps 62:7). And with my spirit within me in the morning early I will watch for you and you will hear my voice (Isa 26:9), since he hears the devout.

In the morning, that is, of grace, having pushed back the darkness of guilt, I will stand and I will contemplate, as the text of Jerome has. As the light of the morning, when the sun rises, shines without clouds (2 Sam 23:4), you shall hear my voice, by freeing me from guilt and from punishment.

Or, in the morning means in the day of eternity, when the morning stars praised me together (Job 38:7). And then man is heard completely.

Or, in the morning, that is, from my youth, I will stand before you. It is good for a man, when he has borne the yoke of the Lord from his youth (Lam 3:27): remember your Creator in the days of your youth (Eccl 12:1). You shall hear my voice, because I love those who love me and those who in the morning early watch for me shall find me (Prov 8:17).

The second reason for confidence is that he sees; so he says, and I will see.

He explains first here how he stands, when he says, in the multitude of your mercy.

First, he says what he sees, namely, those who are hindered from being heard, and what these hindrances are. These persons are those who are evil, so he says, I will see, namely, because you are not a God who wills iniquity.

Two things should be noted here:

first, that the evil are excluded from these things;

second, that they are brought to the evils of punishment, at you hate all the workers of iniquity.

In the first case, he speaks about God as about any man who loves some and hates others.

There can be three levels of response to evil for a man. The sin of the sinner is pleasing to one person, the person of the sinner is pleasing to another, and to still another, neither is pleasing—although he looks upon him freely and without indignation.

This is not the case in God, since sin does not please God, nor does he regard the sinner’s familiarity with him. Also, he is indignant to see him, and so he says, in regard to the first, I will see that you are not a God who wills iniquity, that is, it is not pleasing to you.

In regard to the second, he says, neither shall the wicked dwell near you. That is, you will not admit them to familiarity with you. He shall not dwell in the midst of my house (Ps 100:7). I have hated the assembly of the wicked (Ps 25:5).

In regard to the third, he says, nor shall the unjust, that is, sinners, abide before your eyes, namely, of approval. Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on iniquity (Hab 1:13).

28. Here he shows how they are brought to punishment, and he lays out a triple order. For there are three stages by which someone hates another.

First, he holds him in hatred by willing evil to him in his heart.

Second, he pursues this by bringing punishment to bear.

Third, although he punishes, he nevertheless reconciles him to himself.

But God hates in the first way; hence it is said, you hate all the workers of iniquity. To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike (Wis 14:9).

But on the contrary, you love all things that are (Wis 11:25). I respond: God does not hate what he made, but rather what he did not make, namely, sin. (Cf. ST I, q. 20, a. 2, ad 4; I-II, q. 79, a. 1.) But if we obstinately persist, he hates the sinner in the sense that he does not call him back, and instead directs him through punishments.

Second, he brings punishment to bear, and so he says, you will destroy all who speak a lie. The mouth that lies, kills the soul (Wis 1:11).

Note that a lie is of three kinds:

namely, the malicious lie, which is told to harm another either in his spiritual or temporal welfare (for example, in doctrine), and this is very grave;

the jocose lie, which is told to delight others;

and the officious lie, in which someone speaks for either temporal or spiritual profit. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 110, a. 2.)

And according to Augustine, no officious lie is without sin, since if you lie to free another this is not good, since the Apostle says, do not do evil that good may come about (Rom 3:8). (Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 5.7 (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, 38:22).) Additionally, then, any evil could be done for the sake of good. Nevertheless, the officious lie can sometimes be a venial sin, while the joking lie is always venial. (Cf. ST II-II, q. 110, a. 4.) The malicious is always mortal, and this text should be understood to be about this kind.

Third, God hates in the sense of bringing punishments to bear without being reconciled, so he adds, the bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor. We abhor those things which we cannot endure in our thoughts. Men of blood are those who desire the shedding of blood. For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood (Prov 1:16). Come out, you man of blood (2 Sam 16:7). The deceitful is the one who speaks deceitfully. Now, it should be noted that the psalmist proceeds in order, since man first does evil simply by thinking it, and God hates such men. When they add actually doing malice, they provoke God to punish. And when they persist in it, then God abhors them. The life of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (Prov 15:9).

29. Continuing, where he says, I, he shows how he stands in relation to the Lord, and he makes two points about this.

He shows, first, how he approaches God;

second, what his prayer is, at I will worship.

Therefore, someone might say to him, “You say that neither shall the wicked dwell near you. But are you not a sinner? How, then, will you stand?” And so he says, “Not according to my merits, but in the multitude of your mercy, I will come in, that is, I will approach you in your house.”

Or, in the literal sense, the temple is meant, or the congregation of the faithful. How you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church of God (1 Tim 3:15). For it is not for our justification that we present our prayers before your face, but because of the multitude of your tender mercies (Dan 9:18).

But since you are a sinner, that is, a man of blood, how can you approach or worship? Certainly in your fear. He who is without fear, cannot be justified (Sir 1:28). So he says, in your fear, that is, with reverence.

30. Above he asked that his prayer be heard. Here he puts it forward.

And first, he prays for himself;

second, he prays for others.

Regarding the first he makes two points.

First, he sets forth the prayer;

second, he gives the reason for it, at for there is no truth in their mouth.

About the first he asks two things, namely, to be led and to be directed, and this is because man is in the world as on a journey: this is the way, walk in it (Isa 30:21).

Now those who go on a journey need two things, since, if the way is not safe, they need to be led, or, if it is doubtful, to be directed. In the world there are enemies all about. In this way wherein I walked, they have hidden a snare for me (Ps 141:4). And again, the way is unknown to a man whose way is hidden (Job 3:23).

And so he first asks, conduct me, O Lord, in your justice, according to your justice or so that I may walk in your justice, and this because of my enemies. Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land. For your name’s sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice (Ps 142:10–11).

Another translation has, direct your way in my sight. The first agrees with Jerome, the second with the Greek. Nevertheless, the sense is the same, as if to say, “Lord, I am in a hidden way.” There is a way that seems right to a man but its end leads to death (Prov 14:25), so direct my way in your sight, that is, according to your providence, since nothing is hidden to you.

Or, in your sight, so that I may always please you.

Or, direct your way in my sight, that it may always be in my heart so I will always be able to follow you.

31. Afterwards, when he adds, for there is no truth, he gives the reason for the petition and describes his enemies and his imminent danger.

First, from a lack of the good;

second, from an abundance of evil, since their heart is vain.

Indeed, there is a lack, since if they cared for peace, I would be able to placate them and advance safely. But there is no truth in their mouth, because they have one thing in their mouth and another in their heart; there is no truth (Hos 4:1), and so I cannot advance safely.

Likewise, he is in danger from an abundance of evil.

And first, in regard to thoughts, where it is said, their heart is vain, that is, they ponder on vain things which they cannot attain—namely, to ensnare the poor who are guarded by you: for many are the snares of the deceitful (Sir 11:31).

Second, from their greed, since their throat is an open sepulcher. The throat serves for taste and for speech. It can be read in one way in regard to speech, as if to say, “Their throat is an open sepulcher because, just as a sepulcher is the place of the dead and a stench comes forth from it, so their talk kills others, either spiritually or physically.” Evil communications corrupt good manners (1 Cor 15:33). Further, the speech of such men is fetid, since they speak shameful things: corrupted bowels send forth stinking breath (Sir 11:32).

In another way, it can be taken in regard to their eating and greed. We can take this literally, and in this case they are an open sepulcher because they are ravenous, and they therefore flatter and act wrongly to feed their ravenous hunger. Or figuratively, and just as a sepulcher is, of its nature, prepared to receive the dead, so they are always prepared to deceive. Their quiver is as an open sepulcher (Jer 5:16).

Third, it can be taken in regard to their oppression: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues, as if to say, “They lead to death by flattering words.” By pleasing speeches and flattering words, they seduce the hearts of the innocent (Rom 16:18). Their tongue is a piercing arrow, it has spoken deceit (Jer 9:8).

32. Next, when he says, judge them, he prays on behalf of others.

And first, he prays against evil persons;

second, he prays for good ones, at let all be glad.

He makes three points concerning this.

First, he asks for their judgment;

second, he specifies the manner of judgment, at let them fall;

third, he assigns the reason for judgment, at for they have provoked you.

Therefore, he says, judge them, because they are evil.

But it should be noted that judgment is twofold:

that of discernment, by which the good are judged: judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause (Ps 42:1);

and second, that of condemnation: but he who does not believe is already judged (John 3:18).

Here he speaks about the judgment of condemnation, by which the evil will be judged in the final judgment. So Jerome has, condemn them, God.

But on the contrary: love your enemies; do good to those who hate you (Matt 5:44).

I respond that it must be said that the prophets in their prophecies did not speak by their own will. For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21). And so what they proposed, they said according to the mind of divine justice, and so these were more predictions of the future than their own prayers. So judge them means, “I know that you will judge.”

A twofold mode of justice is described:

first, that they fail in their intention;

second, that they be removed from that place.

Through the first, the evil things which they intend are blocked, and so he says, let them fall from their devices, that is, from their plans. He who catches the wise in their craftiness (Job 5:13).

Or, let them fall means, “May they be punished in accordance with their thoughts”: their thoughts accusing themselves (Rom 2:15).

And through the second, they are expelled from the society of the good, so it follows, according to the multitude of their wickedness cast them out. This will happen when the words, depart from me, you cursed, are said (Matt 25:41). He shall drive him out of light into darkness (Job 18:18).

And he says, according to the multitude of their wickednesses, since the measure of the condemnation will be in accordance with these. According to the measure of the sin shall the measure of the stripes also be (Deut 25:2).

The reason is described: for they have provoked you, that is, they have provoked you to anger. This shows in God not anger, but the will to punish.

Another text has, they made you bitter, who are sweet, by obstinately sinning against you. (Cf. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms 5.15 (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, 38:25).) Sinners first sin, then compound their sin with obstinacy. God then does not spare them, but is provoked—that is, he is led toward vengeance. (Cf. ST II–II.108.1.) Do you not know that the benignity of God is to lead you to penance? . . . but you, according to your hardness . . . treasure up for yourself wrath (Rom 2:4–6). They have provoked me with that which was no god (Deut 32:21).

33. Next, when he says, let all be glad, he makes a petition.

First, he makes it;

second, he adds an explanation: they shall rejoice forever.

He makes two points regarding the first.

First, he describes what he is asking, namely, gladness; so he says, let all be glad, for this is the end of all good people. Let the just feast, and rejoice before God and be delighted with gladness (Ps 67:4).

Second, he shows for whom he asks, that is, those who hope: who hope in you.

Therefore, when he says, they shall rejoice forever, he is explaining the first, and he says, let all be glad.

When he says, they hope, he explains the second, at for you have blessed the just.

For the gladness of the saints in the fatherland is eternal, and so he says, forever. And it is secure, so he adds, you shall dwell in them. It is full, so he adds, shall glory in you. It is indeed sempiternal, not temporal: joy everlasting shall be upon their heads (Isa 51:11). It is secure without disturbance: my people shall sit in the beauty of peace, and in the tabernacles of confidence (Isa 32:18). So he says, you shall dwell in them, as a protector; thus Jerome has, and you shall protect them. Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he will dwell with them (Rev 21:3).

For it is full, and this is clear in four ways.

First, from the glory conceived within, so, they shall glory, since, no one glories about something unless he possesses it exceedingly. The saints truly do possess God most excellently, and so he says, they shall glory.

Second, from the matter, since they glory about a very complex thing, and about every good. Hitherto you have not asked any thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full (John 16:24). That my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled (John 15:11). And so he says, in you.

Third, from the fellowship, since alone a man cannot rejoice well about anything, but when he has friends they participate in his good, and so he says, all. The dwelling in you is like that of all rejoicing (Ps 86:7).

Fourth, from the perfection: who love. For it properly belongs to friends to rejoice in the good of a friend; nor does a man easily desert what he loves.

34. Next, when he says, for you have blessed, he shows why they hope:

first, because of the gift of grace;

second, because of the mercy of predestination.

Now, because of the gift of grace he says, for you have blessed the just, namely, by giving him a special grace. He has blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph 1:3). And the mercy of predestination, who has predestined us . . . according to the purpose of his will (Eph 1:5), who works all in all (1 Cor 12:6). And this is what he means when he says, with a shield of your good will, namely, with the eternal will of his mercy, which ordained our salvation from eternity. (Cf. ST I, q. 23, aa. 1–2.) He chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted (Eph 1:4).

Now, with a shield suggests that the very will of God is like a shield against all evils: the Lord is my strength . . . and my shield (2 Sam 22:2–3).

Or, here it is like a protecting shield, but in the fatherland like a crowning shield. For it was the custom of the ancient Romans to use round shields, and in these they placed their hope of victory. When they triumphed, they would use the same shield as a crown. This is why the saints are pictured with round shields on their heads: because they achieved victory from their enemies, they wear round shields on their heads like crowns according to the Roman custom. Therefore, he says, you have crowned us as with a shield of your good will, as if to say, “We have your good will as a shield-crown, which defends us here, and there crowns us.”