Day 150 Psalm 5-7 Supplemental notes

Psalm Chapter 5
Some of the Psalms (see The Harp String Verses) are also prayers, as this morning prayer by King David for protection from evil men.

"To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my groaning. Hearken to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to thee do I pray. O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee [see also Foreshadow of The Sacrifice], and watch. For Thou art not a God who delights in wickedness; evil [see Evil Means Fool] may not sojourn with Thee. The boastful may not stand before thy eyes; Thou hatest all evildoers. Thou destroyest those who speak lies; the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.
But I through the abundance of Thy steadfast love will enter Thy house, I will worship toward Thy holy Temple [see Who, What or Where Is Zion?] in the fear of Thee. Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of my enemies; make Thy way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is destruction, their throat is an open Sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against thee. But let all who take refuge in Thee [see Where Is Your Place Of Safety?] rejoice, let them ever sing for joy; and do thou defend them, that those who love Thy Name may exult in Thee. For Thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord; Thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:1-12 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 6
Like all humans, David made mistakes, some very serious (e.g. see Bathsheba), but David remained a true man of God because he never wilfully or defiantly sinned - and when he did sin, he truly repented, and was forgiven. This psalm is a cry of repentance.

"To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy anger, nor chasten me in Thy wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul [see Where Is Your Soul?] also is sorely troubled. But thou, O Lord - how long?
Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of Thy steadfast love. For in death [see What Happens When You Die?; also Death's Obituary] there is no remembrance of Thee; in Sheol [see Sheol and Hades] who can give Thee praise?
I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief, it grows weak because of all my foes.
Depart from me, all you workers of evil; for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled; they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment." (Psalm 6:1-10 RSV)

Psalm Chapter 7
Although a fierce (he recognized that, on the battlefield, the only law of war is to win) and cunning (he knew when to wait, or withdraw, until the advantage of attack was his) warrior, David prayed for The Lord's protection. David knew "If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword."

"A Shiggaion [a "shiggaion" is from a Hebrew word meaning strong emotion] of David, which he sang to the Lord [see YHVH, Adonai, Jehovah, LORD] concerning Cush a Benjaminite. O Lord my God, in Thee do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me, lest like a lion they rend me, dragging me away, with none to rescue.
O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have requited my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue me and overtake me, and let him trample my life to the ground, and lay my soul in the dust [see Dust To Dust]. [Selah]
Arise, O Lord, in Thy anger, lift Thyself up against the fury of my enemies; awake, O my God; Thou hast appointed a judgment [see When Will You Be Judged?]. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about Thee; and over it take Thy seat on high. The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish thou the righteous, Thou who triest the minds and hearts, thou righteous God.
My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God Who has indignation every day. If a man does not repent, God will whet His sword; He has bent and strung His bow; He has prepared His deadly weapons, making His arrows fiery shafts.
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil, and is pregnant with mischief, and brings forth lies. He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole which he has made. His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own pate his violence descends. I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord, the Most High." (Psalm 7:1-17 RSV)