Psalm 5/Summary

Summary

Line divisions

2a אֲמָרַ֖י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה׀ יְהוָ֗ה

2b בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃

3a הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹהָ֑י

3b כִּֽי־אֵ֜לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃

4a יְֽהוָ֗ה בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י

4b בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־לְ֜ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃

5a כִּ֤י׀ לֹ֤א אֵֽל־חָפֵ֨ץ רֶ֥שַׁע׀ אָ֑תָּה

5b לֹ֖א יְגֻרְךָ֣ רָֽע׃

6a לֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֽ֭וֹלְלִים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ

6b שָׂ֜נֵ֗אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

7a תְּאַבֵּד֘ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב

7b אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֨עֵ֥ב׀ יְהוָֽה׃

8a וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ

8b אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃

9a יְהוָ֤ה׀ נְחֵ֬נִי בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ

9b לְמַ֥עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י

9c הַושַׁ֖ר לְפָנַ֣י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃

10a כִּ֤י אֵ֪ין בְּפִ֡יהוּ נְכוֹנָה֘

10b קִרְבָּ֪ם הַ֫וּ֥וֹת

10c קֶֽבֶר־פָּת֥וּחַ גְּרוֹנָ֑ם

10d לְ֜שׁוֹנָ֗ם יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃

11a הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֙ם׀ אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים

11b יִפְּלוּ֘ מִֽמֹּעֲצ֪וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם

11c בְּרֹ֣ב פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ

11d כִּי־מָ֥רוּ בָֽךְ׃

12a וְיִשְׂמְח֙וּ כָל־ח֪וֹסֵי בָ֡ךְ

12b לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ

12c וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ימוֹ

12d וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ בְ֜ךָ֗ אֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃

13a כִּֽי־אַתָּה֘ תְּבָרֵ֪ךְ צַ֫דִּ֥יק

13b יְהוָ֑ה כַּ֜צִּנָּ֗ה רָצ֥וֹן תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃

As Fokkelman notes, the lineation of this psalm varies significantly among various commentaries and translations. "The allotted number of cola ranges from 20 to 38: a shocking divergence of almost a hundred percent!" The above lineation is based primarily on syntax (1 colon = 1 clause). One exception to this rule is v.4b where וַאֲצַפֶּֽה is included with the previous clause since (1) it is only one word, (2) it is a weyiqtol form and so is closely connected to the previous clause, (3) there is neither a strong disjunctive accent nor a pause with לְךָ. The other exception is v.9, in which the first clause divides into two cola. The three-fold division of this verse is marked by three pausal forms. Fokkelman arrives at the same conclusion for v.9, though by reasons of length rather than pausal forms. "In v.9, the A-colon, consisting of ten-syllables, is already so long that the next two words (five syllables) cannot be added on." The result is a 31 line poem. Fokkelman himself comes out with 32 lines, since he proceeds to divide v.6 also into a tricolon "for the sake of consistency." However, his decision to divide v.9 into three lines is not well founded. It is based on length, whereas the length of lines in this psalm is far from uniform (4-14/15 syllables).,

Section divisions

Section 1 (vv.2-3)

Section 2 (vv.4-8)

A Section 2.1 (v.4)

B Section 2.2 (vv.5-7)

C Section 2.3 (v.8)

Section 3 (vv.9-12)

A' Section 3.1 (v.9)

B' Section 3.2 (vv.10-11)

C' Section 3.3 (v.12)

Section 4 (v.13),

Communicative function

Section 1 (vv.2-3) – Invocation

Section 2 (vv.4-8) – Profession of Trust

Section 3 (vv.9-12) – Petition

Section 4 (v.13) – Profession of Trust,

Main message

Yahweh rejects the wicked and blesses the righteous.,

Large-scale structures

Section 2 (vv.4-8) and Section 3 (vv.9-12), which constitute the body of the psalm, are parallel (ABC//A'B'C').

	Section 2 (vv.4-8)	Section 3 (vv.9-12)	Parallel Feature
A Profession/Petition	2.1 (v.4), ...יהוה	‎3.1 (v.9), ...יהוה	line initial vocative
B The Wicked	2.2 (vv.5-7), ...כִּי לֹא	‎3.2 (vv.10-11), ...כִּי אֵין	כִּי + neg. + verbless clause
C The Righteous	2.3 (v.8), וַאֲנִי	‎3.3 (v.12), וְיִשְׂמְחוּ	line initial waw

,

Outline or visual representation

(This began as Wendland's Expository outline, but may be adapted.)

I. A prayer focusing on the deliverance of the righteous. (1-3, 7-8, 10)

A. Prayer.

1. Who he prays to. (1-2)

a. The Lord, His King and God.

Relationship is the basis of his prayer.

b. God is a hearing God.

c. Give ear means to hearken: It is like cupping your hand behind your ear so you can hear better.

2. When he prays: Morning. (3)

3. Where he prays. (7)

a. In the temple, not at a distance.

b. You are a temple: You can pray in the actual temple (church building), but you are also a temple:

1 Cor 3:16

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

4. What he prays. (8,10)

a. Lead me in the right way.

b. Make my way straight.

c. Deal with my foes.

(1) Hold them accountable.

(2) Let them fall by their own devices.

(3) Remove them from Your presence because of their rebellion.

5. How he prays. (1-3)

a. Directed prayer: To the Lord.

b. With an attitude of eager watching.

c. With an ordered prayer.

B. Praising. (11-12)

II. A prayer focusing on the destruction of the unrighteous. (4-6, 9-10)

A. Why. (4-5)

1. God takes no pleasure in wickedness.

2. No evil dwells with Him.

B. Who. (5-6, 9-10)

1. The boastful.

2. Workers of iniquity.

3. Liars.

4. Deceivers.

5. Those with uncontrolled speech.

6. The rebellious.

III. Praising God. (11-12)

A. Rejoice because your trust is in Him.

B. Shout for joy because He defends.

C. Be joyful because you love His name.

D. Rejoice because He will bless you and compass you with favor as a shield.