Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 1: Psalms 1–17

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Psalm 5 with Augustine – Seeing God Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice (vv. 2–3). The psalmist understands why he does not see, because the night is not yet past, that is, the darkness which our sins deserve. Therefore, he says, for to you I pray ; that is, because you to whom I pray are so mighty, in the morning, LORD, you hear my voice . You cannot be seen, he says, by those from whose eyes the night of sins is not yet lifted: when the night of my error is past, and the darkness gone, which by my sins I have brought upon myself, then You will hear my voice . We must not cling to earthly things, if we want to be able to truly see God, who is seen by a clean heart. As for the wicked, their eyes (that is, their minds) are beaten back by the light of truth, because of the darkness of their sins; which they practice habitually so that they are not able to maintain the brightness of right understanding. Therefore even they who see sometimes, that is, who understand the truth, are yet still unrighteous. They are held back by love of those things that turn them away from the truth. They carry their night with them, not only the habit, but even the love, of sinning. But if this night passes away, if they shall stop sinning, and this love of sin be put to flight, the morning dawns, so that they not only understand, but also cling to the truth. With you, evil people are not welcome. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. You hate all who do wrong (vv. 4–5). But I, by your great love, can come into your house (v. 7).