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Text -- Psalms 5:4 (NET)

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Context
5:4 Certainly you are not a God who approves of evil; evil people cannot dwell with you.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Sin | PSALMS, BOOK OF | Nehiloth | Music | HOLY SPIRIT, 1 | David | Atonement | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Psa 5:4 - -- Thou dost not approve of, nor delight in them, or in their prayers.

Thou dost not approve of, nor delight in them, or in their prayers.

Wesley: Psa 5:4 - -- Have any fellowship with thee.

Have any fellowship with thee.

JFB: Psa 5:4 - -- God only regards sincere worshippers.

God only regards sincere worshippers.

JFB: Psa 5:4 - -- Or, "the evil man."

Or, "the evil man."

JFB: Psa 5:4 - -- Lodge, remain under protection.

Lodge, remain under protection.

Clarke: Psa 5:4 - -- Neither shall evil dwell with thee - As thou art holy, so thou hast pleasure only in holiness; and as to evil men, they shall never enter into thy g...

Neither shall evil dwell with thee - As thou art holy, so thou hast pleasure only in holiness; and as to evil men, they shall never enter into thy glory; לא יגרך רע lo yegurecha ra , "the evil man shall not even sojourn with thee."

Calvin: Psa 5:4 - -- Here David makes the malice and wickedness of his enemies an argument to enforce his prayer for the divine favor towards him. The language is indeed ...

Here David makes the malice and wickedness of his enemies an argument to enforce his prayer for the divine favor towards him. The language is indeed abrupt, as the saints in prayer will often stammer; but this stammering is more acceptable to God than all the figures of rhetoric, be they ever so fine and glittering. Besides, the great object which David has in view, is to show, that since the cruelty and treachery of his enemies had reached their utmost height, it was impossible but that God would soon arrest them in their course. His reasoning is grounded upon the nature of God. Since righteousness and upright dealing are pleasing to him, David, from this, concludes that he will take vengeance on all the unjust and wicked. And how is it possible for them to escape from his hand unpunished, seeing he is the judge of the world? The passage is worthy of our most special attention. For we know how greatly we are discouraged by the unbounded insolence of the wicked. If God does not immediately restrain it, we are either stupified and dismayed, or cast down into despair. But David, from this, rather finds matter of encouragement and confi-dence. The greater the lawlessness with which his enemies proceeded against him, the more earnestly did he supplicate preservation from God, whose office it is to destroy all the wicked, because he hates all wickedness. Let all the godly, therefore, learn, as often as they have to contend against violence, deceit, and injustice, to raise their thoughts to God in order to encourage themselves in the certain hope of deliverance, according as Paul also exhorts them in 2Th 1:5, “Which is,” says he, “a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled, rest with us.” And assuredly he would not be the judge of the world if there were not laid up in store with him a recompense for all the ungodly. One use, then, which may be made of this doctrine is this, — when we see the wicked indulging themselves in their lusts, and when, in consequence, doubts steal into our minds as to whether God takes any care of us, we should learn to satisfy ourselves with the consideration that God, who hates and abhors all iniquity, will not permit them to pass unpunished, and although he bear with them for a time, he will at length ascend into the judgment-seat, and show himself an avenger, as he is the protector and defender of his people. 73 Again, we may infer from this passage the common doctrine, that God, although he works by Satan and by the ungodly, and makes use of their malice for executing his judgments, is not, on this account, the author of sin, nor is pleased with it because the end which he purposes is always righteous; and he justly condemns and punishes those who, by his mysterious providence, are driven whithersoever he pleases.

In the 4th verse some take רע , ra, in the masculine gender, for a wicked man; but I understand it rather of wickedness itself David declares simply, that there is no agreement between God and unrighteousness. He immediately after proceeds to speak of the men themselves, saying, the foolish shall not stand in thy sight; and it is a very just inference from this, that iniquity its hateful to God, and that, therefore, he will execute just punishment upon all the wicked. He calls those fools, according to a frequent use of the term in Scripture, who, impelled by blind passion, rush headlong into sin. Nothing is more foolish, than for the ungodly to cast away the fear of God, and suffer the desire of doing mischief to be their ruling principle; yea, there is no madness worse than the contempt of God, under the influence of which men pervert all right. David sets this truth before himself for his own comfort; but we also may draw from it doctrine very useful in training us to the fear of God; for the Holy Spirit, by declaring God to be the avenger of wickedness, puts a bridle upon us, to restrain us from committing sin, in the vain hope of escaping with impunity.

TSK: Psa 5:4 - -- God : Psa 50:21; 1Ch 29:17; Hab 1:13; Mal 2:17 evil : Psa 94:20, Psa 101:7, Psa 140:13; Joh 14:23; Heb 12:14; 2Pe 3:13; Rev 21:23, Rev 21:27

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Psa 5:4 - -- For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness - The psalmist here refers to a well-known and well-understood characteristic of the Di...

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness - The psalmist here refers to a well-known and well-understood characteristic of the Divine Being, that he was holy and pure, and that he could not have any pleasure in furthering the designs of wicked men. This is said with reference to his enemies, who were thus wicked; and the idea is that God would not, and could not, consistently with his nature, further their designs. This is the ground of encouragement which he had to pray - that he was conscious that his own aims were right, and that his cause was just, and that God could not favor the cause of the ungodly. This is still, and always will be, a ground of encouragement in prayer. If we know that our cause is right, we may look to God to favor it; if a cause is wrong, we cannot look to him to interpose to advance it. Good men, therefore, pray; wicked men do not.

Neither shall evil dwell with thee - The same idea is here expressed in another form. If God should show favor to the wicked, it would seem as if he admitted them to his habitation, as we do our friends and those in whom we delight. But as God would not do this, the psalmist feels that it was proper for him to call upon Him to deliver him from wicked people.

Barnes: Psa 5:1-12 - -- :Title Upon Nehiloth - The title of Psa 4:1-8 is, "upon Neginoth."As that refers to a musical instrument, so it is probable that this does, and ...

:Title

Upon Nehiloth - The title of Psa 4:1-8 is, "upon Neginoth."As that refers to a musical instrument, so it is probable that this does, and that the idea here is that this psalm was intended particularly for the music-master that had special charge of this instrument, or who presided over those that played on it. Perhaps the idea is that this psalm was specially designed to be accompanied with this instrument. The word here, Nehiloth - נחילות ne chı̂ylôth , plural. נחילה ne chı̂ylâh , singular - is supposed by Gesenius, Lexicon, to denote a flute, or pipe, as being "perforated,"from חלל châlal , to bore."The word occurs only in this place. Very various opinions have been entertained of its meaning. See Hengstenberg, "Com."The Latin Vulgate and the Septuagint understand it as meaning "inheritance"- the same as נחלה nachălâh , and as being somehow designed to refer to the people of God "as"a heritage. Latin Vulgate: In finem pro ca, quae hereditatem consequitur, psalmus David. So the Septuagint - ὑπὲρ τῆς κληρονομούσης huper tēs klēronomousēs . So Luther, Fur das Erbe . What was the precise idea affixed to this it is not very easy to determine. Luther explains it, "according to the title, this is the general idea of the psalm, that the author prays for the inheritance or heritage of God, desiring that the people of God may be faithful to him, and may always adhere to him."The true interpretation, however, is evidently to regard this as an instrument of music, and to consider the psalm as adapted to be sung with the instrument of music specified. Why it was adapted particularly to "that"instrument of music cannot now be determined. Horsley renders it "upon the flutes."Compare Ugolin. Thesau. Ant. Sac.; tom. xxxii. pp. 158-170.

A Psalm of David - See introduction to Psa 3:1-8.

Poole: Psa 5:4 - -- For or, but ; or, surely . In wickedness ; or, in wicked men . Thou dost not approve of nor delight in them, or in their prayers, but dost hate ...

For or, but ; or, surely .

In wickedness ; or, in wicked men . Thou dost not approve of nor delight in them, or in their prayers, but dost hate and wilt destroy them, as it here follows: compare Pro 17:15 . And this he saith partly for the conviction and discouragement of his enemies, who were such; and partly for his own vindication, to show that he was not such a wicked man as they falsely and maliciously represented him.

Dwell with thee i.e. have any friendship, or fellowship, or quiet abode with thee, as those that dwell together usually have one with another.

Haydock: Psa 5:4 - -- Morning. This hour of prayer is also specified, (Psalms lxii. 1., and cxviii. 147.) as that of the evening is, Psalms iv. 9., and liv. 19. We read ...

Morning. This hour of prayer is also specified, (Psalms lxii. 1., and cxviii. 147.) as that of the evening is, Psalms iv. 9., and liv. 19. We read also of noon being a time for prayer among the Jews, Acts x. 9. Daniel (vi. 10.) diligently observed these holy customs. (Calmet)

Gill: Psa 5:4 - -- For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness,.... Sin, ungodliness; it is contrary to his nature, who is holy, just, and good; and to his ...

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness,.... Sin, ungodliness; it is contrary to his nature, who is holy, just, and good; and to his will revealed in his law, which is the same with his nature; and sin is a transgression of it. God is so far from taking pleasure in sin, that it is the abominable thing which his righteous soul hates; though this hinders not his voluntary permission of sin, or his decree of it; which he has willed, though he does not delight in it, in order to magnify the riches of his grace and mercy in the salvation of his people: nor is this contrary to the delight and pleasure which he takes in the persons of his elect in Christ, though they are sinners in themselves, and were so when he so loved them as to give his Son for them, and who died for them while they were yet sinners; and when he sends his Spirit to regenerate and sanctify them, and are after conversion guilty of many sins: for, though he delights in their persons, he has no pleasure in their sins; nor is it consistent with the holiness of his nature to take pleasure in wickedness, let it be committed by whomsoever;

neither shall evil dwell with thee; that is, the evil man, who continues in a course of wickedness, and lives and dies in his sins. He has no communion with God here, nor shall he dwell with him hereafter; but shall be bid to depart from him, whether he be a profane sinner openly, or secretly a wicked professor of religion. The sense of the psalmist is, that since they were evil and wicked men, that were risen up against him, and gave him trouble, he entertained a strong confidence that God would hear him, for himself and his friends, whose cause was righteous; and appear against his enemies, who were wicked and ungodly men; and this he grounded upon the purity and holiness of God.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 5:4 Only the godly are allowed to dwell with the Lord. Evil people are excluded. See Ps 15.

Geneva Bible: Psa 5:4 For thou [art] not a God that hath pleasure in ( c ) wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. ( c ) Seeing that God of nature hates wickedness...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Psa 5:1-12 - --1 David prays, and professes his study in prayer.4 God favours not the wicked.7 David, professing his faith, prays to God to guide him;10 to destroy h...

MHCC: Psa 5:1-6 - --God is a prayer-hearing God. Such he has always been, and he is still as ready to hear prayer as ever. The most encouraging principle of prayer, and t...

Matthew Henry: Psa 5:1-6 - -- The title of this psalm has nothing in it peculiar but that it is said to be upon Nehiloth, a word nowhere else used. It is conjectured (and it is...

Keil-Delitzsch: Psa 5:4-6 - -- (Heb.: 5:5-7) The basing of the prayer on God's holiness. The verbal adjective חפץ (coming from the primitive signification of adhering firmly ...

Constable: Psa 5:1-12 - --Psalm 5 This is another prayer of David that arose out of opposition by enemies (cf. Pss. 3, 4), as is c...

Constable: Psa 5:3-6 - --2. Praise for God's holiness 5:4-7 5:4-6 David was aware that the One whom he petitioned was absolutely upright. Consequently those who are boastful a...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Hebrew title of this book is Tehilim ("praises" or "hymns"), for a leading feature in its contents is praise, though the word occurs in the title ...

JFB: Psalms (Outline) ALEPH. (Psa 119:1-8). This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. It is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two let...

TSK: Psalms (Book Introduction) The Psalms have been the general song of the universal Church; and in their praise, all the Fathers have been unanimously eloquent. Men of all nation...

TSK: Psalms 5 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Psa 5:1, David prays, and professes his study in prayer; Psa 5:4, God favours not the wicked; Psa 5:7, David, professing his faith, prays...

Poole: Psalms (Book Introduction) OF PSALMS THE ARGUMENT The divine authority of this Book of PSALMS is so certain and evident, that it was never questioned in the church; which b...

MHCC: Psalms (Book Introduction) David was the penman of most of the psalms, but some evidently were composed by other writers, and the writers of some are doubtful. But all were writ...

MHCC: Psalms 5 (Chapter Introduction) (Psa 5:1-6) God will certainly hear prayer: David gives to God the glory, and takes to himself the comfort. (Psa 5:7-12) He prayed for himself, that ...

Matthew Henry: Psalms (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Psalms We have now before us one of the choicest and most excellent parts of all the Old Te...

Matthew Henry: Psalms 5 (Chapter Introduction) The psalm is a prayer, a solemn address to God, at a time when the psalmist was brought into distress by the malice of his enemies. Many such times...

Constable: Psalms (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible is Tehillim, which means...

Constable: Psalms (Outline) Outline I. Book 1: chs. 1-41 II. Book 2: chs. 42-72 III. Book 3: chs. 73...

Constable: Psalms Psalms Bibliography Allen, Ronald B. "Evidence from Psalm 89." In A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus,...

Haydock: Psalms (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF PSALMS. INTRODUCTION. The Psalms are called by the Hebrew, Tehillim; that is, hymns of praise. The author, of a great part of ...

Gill: Psalms (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALMS The title of this book may be rendered "the Book of Praises", or "Hymns"; the psalm which our Lord sung at the passover is c...

Gill: Psalms 5 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 5 To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, a Psalm of David. This psalm, being written by David under the inspiration of the Holy...

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