Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 6:5

"And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward." — Matthew 6:5 (ASV)

Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

All they will ever get. People say, "What a wonderfully pious man he is to pray up at the street corner." Yes, but that is the reward.

The prayer will die where it was offered.

And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.

We ought to pray in the synagogue, and we may pray at the corners of the streets; but the wrong is to do it to "be seen of men," that is, to be looking for some present reward in the praises that fall from human lips.

Prayer also is taken for granted. No one can be in the kingdom of heaven who does not pray. Those around our Lord knew what He meant when He alluded to the hypocrites, for they had often seen the proud sectarian standing in public places repeating his prayers and very likely they had until then felt bound to regard such individuals as exceptionally holy.

By our Lord’s words, these hypocrites are unmasked and made to appear as they really are. Our King was wonderfully plain-spoken, and called both things and persons by their right names. These religious professors were not seekers of God, but seekers after popularity. Men who twisted even devotion into a means for self-aggrandizement. They chose places and times that would make their praying conspicuous. The synagogues and the corners of the streets suited them admirably, for their aim was that they may be seen of men. They were seen. They had what they sought for. This was their reward and the whole of it.

Lord, let me never be so profane as to pray to You with the intent of getting praise for myself.