Psalm 5
Psalm 5 is the fifth psalm of the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Christian Old Testament, consisting of 12 verses that form an individual lament and prayer attributed to King David in its superscription.[1][2] It presents a morning supplication in which the psalmist urgently petitions God to listen and act against deceitful enemies, contrasts God's abhorrence of wickedness with his steadfast love for the righteous, and concludes with a call for divine guidance and protection for the godly.[1][2] The psalm's structure follows a typical pattern of individual laments in the Psalter, opening with an invocation and plea for hearing (verses 1–3), followed by a descriptive section on God's character and opposition to evil (verses 4–6), a declaration of personal trust and worship (verse 7), a request for justice against adversaries (verses 8–10), and a concluding expression of communal joy and blessing (verses 11–12).[2] The superscription, "To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David," indicates it was composed for liturgical use with musical accompaniment on flutes (Hebrew neḥilot, possibly referring to a type of wind instrument or tune), aligning with ancient Israelite temple worship practices.[1] Authorship is traditionally ascribed to David, the tenth-century BCE king of Israel, based on the superscription's use of lədāwīd (meaning "of David" or "belonging to David"), a designation appearing in 73 psalms in the Masoretic Text.[3] Scholarly consensus views the Psalter as a compilation from multiple authors spanning the ninth to fifth centuries BCE, with Psalm 5's language and themes fitting a pre-exilic context, though some critical scholars propose a later post-exilic date due to references to a "house" or "temple" (verse 7), interpreted by others as the tabernacle during David's era rather than Solomon's later temple.[4][3] Davidic authorship remains plausible, supported by linguistic analysis, historical allusions in related psalms, and early Jewish and Christian traditions.[3] Key themes include the psalmist's dependence on prayer amid distress, God's righteousness as a refuge against the wicked, and the ultimate triumph of the faithful through divine favor.[2] The prayer highlights ethical dualism, portraying the deceitful as boastful liars whose words ensnare (verses 5–6, 9–10), while the righteous find joy and shielding under God's mercy (verses 11–12).[1] In form-critical analysis, it exemplifies the lament genre, emphasizing communal and personal trust in Yahweh's justice within the broader Psalter's theological framework.[2]Background and Context
Superscription and Authorship
The superscription of Psalm 5 in the Masoretic Text reads lamənaṣṣēaḥ ’al-hannəḥîlôṯ mizmôr ləḏāwîḏ, which provides musical and liturgical instructions along with an attribution to David.[5] The term lamənaṣṣēaḥ is generally translated as "to the choirmaster" or "for the director," derived from the Hebrew root nāṣaḥ, meaning to oversee, lead, or excel, indicating the psalm was intended for performance under the direction of a temple musician or choir leader.[3] ’Al-hannəḥîlôṯ refers to "upon the Nehiloth" or "with flutes," likely denoting a type of accompaniment using perforated wind instruments such as flutes, from the root nāḥal meaning "to bore" or "perforate"; some scholars alternatively connect it to naḥalāh ("inheritance"), suggesting a thematic or melodic association, though the instrumental interpretation predominates in ancient traditions.[6] Mizmôr signifies "psalm" or "melody," specifying the genre as a sung composition, while ləḏāwîḏ means "of David" or "belonging to David," attributing the work to King David in the traditional sense.[3] Traditionally, the Book of Psalms attributes 73 compositions to David in the Masoretic Text, with the Septuagint expanding this to 85, reflecting an early interpretive emphasis on Davidic authorship that shaped the psalter's structure as a collection of royal prayers and hymns.[3] This attribution aligns with biblical narratives portraying David as a musician and poet (e.g., 2 Samuel 23:1), and it is affirmed in New Testament references, such as Jesus citing David as the speaker in Psalms (Mark 12:36).[3] Jewish and early Christian traditions viewed these superscriptions as integral to the text, indicating not only authorship but also liturgical use in the temple cult.[7] Scholarly consensus holds that the Davidic attribution likely reflects a later editorial process rather than direct composition by the historical David (ca. 1000 BCE), with many viewing ləḏāwîḏ as dedicatory ("for David" or "in the Davidic style") rather than possessive.[3] The composition date of Psalm 5 remains debated, with critical scholars often proposing a post-exilic origin based primarily on references to a "house" or "temple" (verse 7), though others interpret these as referring to the tabernacle during David's era rather than Solomon's later temple. As a psalm in Book I of the Psalter, it is frequently dated to the pre-exilic period by those emphasizing the early character of this collection.[8][3] Evidence from ancient manuscripts, including Dead Sea Scrolls fragments like those in 4QPs^a (4Q83), preserves similar superscriptions for Davidic psalms, confirming their antiquity and stability from at least the 2nd century BCE, with 11QPs^a featuring a colophon attributing over 4,000 songs to David, reinforcing the traditional ascription without challenging it.[9] These scrolls show no significant variations in Psalm 5's heading that alter the authorship claim, underscoring the superscription's role in early interpretive traditions.[7]Historical and Literary Setting
Psalm 5 is traditionally attributed to King David in the 10th century BCE, during the early monarchy of ancient Israel, where it served as a morning prayer integrated into worship practices at the Tabernacle in Zion.[3] The psalm's references to approaching God's "house" and "temple" align with the portable sanctuary used in David's era, prior to the construction of Solomon's Temple, allowing non-priestly figures like the king to participate in outer court rituals—though this interpretation is debated among scholars favoring a later date.[3] The compilation of the Psalter as a whole occurred during the post-exilic period, from the 6th to 1st century BCE, reflecting editorial shaping after the Babylonian Exile.[10] Within the literary framework of the Psalter, Psalm 5 occupies a position in Book I (Psalms 1–41), the initial collection dominated by Davidic attributions and emphasizing themes of torah piety and divine faithfulness.[11] This placement connects it to Psalms 5–9, where recurring use of the divine name YHWH underscores motifs of God's sovereignty and justice, forming an inclusio-like pattern that highlights Yahweh's role amid human adversity.[12] The Babylonian Exile influenced the lament elements in psalms such as this one through post-exilic redaction, which preserved and arranged individual complaints to address collective trauma and hope for restoration, even as Book I retains earlier compositions.[13] Scholars classify Psalm 5 primarily as an individual lament, incorporating elements of a confidence psalm that shifts from distress to assurance. Its structure follows the typical form of such laments: verses 1–3 form an invocation and plea for God to attend to the psalmist's words and groans; verses 4–6 present an accusation against the wicked, contrasting their deceit with God's abhorrence of evil; and verses 7–12 transition to petition for divine guidance and protection, culminating in confident assurance of blessing for the righteous. This genre blend reflects the Psalter's broader liturgical use in temple settings, adapted over time through exilic and post-exilic editorial processes.[11]Textual Content
Hebrew Original
The Masoretic Text provides the authoritative Hebrew original of Psalm 5, complete with niqqud (vowel points) for vocalization and ta'amim (cantillation marks) that dictate the tonal patterns used in synagogue chanting and recitation.[14] These elements, standardized by the Masoretes between the 7th and 10th centuries CE, ensure precise transmission of the text's pronunciation and prosody. The superscription, לַמְנַצֵּחַ אֶל־הַנְּחִילוֹת מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד (lamnaṣṣēaḥ ’el-hannəḥîlôt mizmôr lədāwīd), designates the psalm "for the choirmaster, concerning the flutes [or inheritances], a psalm of David." The term נְחִילוֹת (nəḥîlôt) is ambiguous, potentially deriving from a root meaning "to bore through" (suggesting wind instruments like flutes) or "inheritance" (indicating a melody associated with themes of divine provision). The psalm proper comprises 12 verses, presented below with the Hebrew text (including niqqud and indicative ta'amim where standard in Masoretic codices like the Leningrad Codex) and phonetic transliteration for accessibility. Transliteration follows a simplified academic convention, approximating Sephardic pronunciation.-
Verse 1: אֲמָרַ֥י הַאֲזִינָ֗ה יְ֫הוָ֥ה בִּינָ֥ה הֲגִיגִֽי׃
Transliteration: ’ămāray hā’ăzînâ Yăhwâ bînâ hăḡîḡî. -
Verse 2: הַקְשִֽׁיבָ֥ה ׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵֽאלֹהָ֑י כִּֽי־אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃
Transliteration: haqšîḇâ ləqôl šaw‘î malkî wē’lōhāy kî-’ēleykā ’etpallāl. -
Verse 3: יְֽהוָ֗ה בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י בֹּ֝קֶר אַֽעֲרִכָה־לְךָ֗ וַֽאֲצַפֵּֽה׃
Transliteration: Yăhwâ bōqer tišma‘ qôlî bōqer ’a‘ărîkâ-ləkā wa’ăṣappeh. -
Verse 4: כִּֽי־לֹ֭א אֵ֣ל חָפֵ֣ץ רֶ֑שַׁע לֹֽא־יְגֻרְ֝ךָ֗ רָֽע׃
Transliteration: kî-lō’ ’ēl ḥāḟēṣ rəša‘ lō’-yəḡurəkā rā‘. -
Verse 5: לֹא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֲ֭מוֹן רָעִים נֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׂנֵ֖אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
Transliteration: lō’-yityaṣṣəḇû hŏmôn rā‘îm neged ‘êynêkā śānē’tā kāl-pō‘ălê ’āwen. -
Verse 6: תְאַבֵּ֣ד דֹּבְרֵ֣י שָׁ֑קֶר אִ֖ישׁ דָּמִ֣ים וּמִרְמָ֓ה ׀ תִּתְעָ֖ב יְֽהוָֽה׃
Transliteration: tə’abbēd dōḇrê šāqer ’îš dāmîm ûmir’mâ tittā‘āḇ Yăhwâ. -
Verse 7: וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹב־חַסְדֶּ֥ךָ אָב֑וֹא בֵּ֝יתֶ֗ךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵיכַ֖ל קָדְשְׁ֣ךָ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
Transliteration: wa’ănî bərōḇ-ḥasdəkā ’āḇō’ ḇêtekā ’eštḥāwweh ’el-hêkal qōdšəkā bəyir’ātekā. -
Verse 8: יְֽהוָ֗ה הַ֭נְּחֵנִי בְּצִדְקָתֶ֣ךָ לְמַ֣עַן שׁוֹרְרָ֑י יָ֝שַׁ֗ר לְפָנַ֥י דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃
Transliteration: Yăhwâ hănnəḥēnî bəṣidqātekā ləma‘an šôrərāy yāšar ləḟānay darkəkā. -
Verse 9: אֵֽין־בְּפִ֭יו נְכוֹנָ֣ה קִרְבָּ֣ם חֲבֹ֑תִים קֶ֝֗בֶר פָּת֥וּחַ גְּרוֹנָֽם׃
Transliteration: ’ên-bəḟîhû nəkônâ qirbām ḥăḇōtîm qeḇer pāṯûaḥ gərônām;
לְשׁוֹנָ֥ם יַחֲלִיק֗וּן סֶֽלָה׃
Transliteration: ləšônām yaḥălîqûn selâ. -
Verse 10: הַשִּֽׁ֭מֵם אֱלֹהִ֣ים יִפֹּ֣לוּ מִמּוֹעֲצֹתָ֑ם בְּרֹ֥ב פִּשְׁעֵיהֶ֗ם הַדִּיחֵ֥ם כִּֽי־מָ֝ר֗וּ בָֽךְ׃
Transliteration: haššîmēm ’ĕlōhîm yippōlû mimmô‘ăṣōtām bərōḇ piš‘êyhem haddîḥēm kî-mārû ḇāk. -
Verse 11: וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀ כָּל־חֽוֹסֵי־בָ֡ךְ לְעוֹלָ֤ם ׀ יְרַנֵּ֗נוּ וְתָסֵ֣ךְ עָלֵ֭ינוּ וְֽיַעְלְצ֣וּ בָ֑ךְ אֹהֲבֵ֖י שְׁמֶ֣ךָ׃
Transliteration: wəyiśməḥû kāl-ḥôsê-ḇāk lə‘ôlām yərannənû wəṯāsēk ‘ālênû wəya‘aləṣû ḇāk ’ōhāḇê šəmekā. -
Verse 12: כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה תְבָרֵ֣ךְ רַ֭עֲיָא יְהוָ֑ה כַּ֝צִּנָּ֗ה ט֣וֹב רָצ֥וֹן תַּעַטְּרֵֽנוּ׃
Transliteration: kî-’attâ təḇārék ra‘yā Yăhwâ kaṣṣinnâ ṭôḇ rāṣôn ta‘aṭṭərênû.[15]