Psalms 5:7

7 But I can enter your house because of your great grace and love; I will bow down toward your holy temple in reverence for you.

Psalms 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 5:7

But as for me, I will come [into] thy house
The tabernacle of Moses, sometimes called the house of God, ( 1 Chronicles 9:23 ) ; for as yet the temple was not built. Here David had been used to go in times past; and though he was now in a kind of exile from it, he was confident he should again enter into and determined so to do whenever he had an opportunity, and that in the following manner:

in the multitude of thy mercy;
grace or goodness. God is rich in mercy, abundant in goodness and truth; there is a multitude of mercy, love, and grace in his heart, and which is stored up in his covenant, and displayed in his Son, and in the provision of him as a Saviour of lost sinners; abundant mercy is shown in regeneration, in adoption, and in the forgiveness of sins, and in every spiritual blessing, and in the gift of eternal life. And now, not relying on his own merits, strength, and righteousness, or leaning to his own understanding, but trusting in the mercy, grace, and goodness of God in Christ, and in hope of finding more grace and mercy to help in time of need; with thankfulness for what he had received, he determines, by divine leave and assistance, to enter, into the house of the Lord: and whatever other persons did, whom he had before described, it was his resolution to serve the Lord, under a sense of his mercy and goodness to him; which laid him under an obligation so to do, and is the true principle from which all service should proceed;

[and] in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple;
either heaven, the habitation of God's holiness, towards which, and to God there, the psalmist would lift up his eyes, his hands, and heart; or the tabernacle, at the door of which the worship of God was performed, the sacrifices were brought, and God met his people; and therefore he says he would worship towards the temple or tabernacle, ( Leviticus 1:3 ) ( Exodus 29:42 Exodus 29:43 ) . And it may be that David has reference to the Messiah, the medium of divine worship; whose human nature was typified by the tabernacle and temple, in which the fulness of the Godhead dwells: the psalmist therefore purposes to worship God in Christ, and to perform all acts of worship, as prayer, praise, hearing the word, offering sacrifice in the name and faith of Christ; looking towards him for the presentation of his services by him, and for the acceptance of them with God through him: and this he desired to do in the "fear" of God; not with a slavish fear, but with reverence and godly fear; with a fear influenced by the multitude of God's mercy, grace, and goodness, in art humble modest manner, not trusting to, or depending upon, any service done by him.

Psalms 5:7 In-Context

5 Those who brag cannot stand before your eyes, you hate all who do evil,
6 you destroy those who tell lies, ADONAI detests men of blood and deceivers.
7 But I can enter your house because of your great grace and love; I will bow down toward your holy temple in reverence for you.
8 Lead me, ADONAI, in your righteousness because of those lying in wait for me; make your way straight before me.
9 For in their mouths there is nothing sincere, within them are calamities, their throats are open tombs, they flatter with their tongues.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.