John Calvin Commentary Psalms 5:8

"Lead me, O Jehovah, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; Make thy way straight before my face." — Psalms 5:8 (ASV)

O Jehovah, lead me forth, etc. Some explain these words as follows: Show me what is right, and make me wholly devoted to practicing the righteousness that adorns your character; and do this because of my adversaries. For the saints, driven by the wicked practices and deceitful arts of the ungodly, are in danger of turning aside from the right way.

This meaning is unquestionably a pious and useful one. But the other interpretation is more suitable, which views the words as a prayer that God would lead His servant safely through the middle of his enemies' snares and open a way of escape for him, even when, apparently, he was caught and surrounded on every side.

The righteousness of God, therefore, in this passage, as in many others, is to be understood as His faithfulness and mercy, which He shows in defending and preserving His people. Consequently, "in your righteousness" means the same thing as "for or according to your righteousness." David, desiring to have God as the guide of his path, encourages himself with the hope of obtaining his request because God is righteous. It is as if he had said, "Lord, as you are righteous, defend me with your aid, so that I may escape from the wicked plots of my enemies."

The last clause of the verse has the same meaning, where he prays that the way of God may be made straight before his face. In other words, he prays that he might be delivered by God's power from the distresses that so completely surrounded him that, according to the judgment of the flesh, he never expected to find a way of escape.

In this way, he acknowledges how impossible it was for him to avoid being entangled in his enemies' snares unless God both gave him wisdom and opened a way for him where there was no way.

It is fitting for us, following his example, to do the same. Therefore, when counsel fails us, we distrust ourselves, and the malice and wickedness of our enemies prevail, we should quickly turn to God, in whose hands are the issues of death, as we will see later (Psalms 69:1).