1. "Author of the psalm" - This psalm also purports to be a psalm of David, and there is nothing in it to lead us to doubt that this opinion is correct. It is ascribed to him in all the versions, and by all the ancient Hebrew writers, and the contents are such as we might expect from him.
2. "The occasion on which the psalm was composed." This is not specified in the title to the psalm, and there is nothing in the psalm itself that can enable us to determine it with certainty. There can be no improbability in supposing that there were some events in the life of David, or that there were some particular circumstances, which suggested the thoughts in the psalm, but all those local and personal allusions are suppressed, as it does not appear to have been the writer's object to disclose private feelings, but to give utterance to sentiments, though perhaps suggested by private and personal considerations, which might be of permanent use to the church at all times.
There is evidence in the psalm itself that the author at the time of its composition was beset by enemies, and that he was in the midst of peril from the designs of violent men, Psalm 5:6, Psalm 5:8-10. Who those enemies were, however, he does not specify, for the object was to express sentiments that would be of use, to all who might be in similar circumstances, by showing what were the true feelings of piety, and what was the real ground of trust for the people of God at such times; and this object would not have been furthered by any specifications in regard to the foes which surrounded him at the time.
Flaminius (see Rosenmuller) supposes that the psalm was composed in the time of Saul, and in reference to the persecutions which David experienced then; but most interpreters have referred it to the time of Absalom's rebellion. Most of the Jewish writers, according to Kimchi (see DeWette), suppose that it had reference to Doeg and Ahithophel; but, as DeWette remarks, since they lived at different times, it cannot be supposed that the psalm had reference to them both. There is no improbability in supposing that the psalm was composed with reference to the same circumstances as the two preceding - that important event in the life of David when his own son rose up in rebellion against him, and drove him from his throne. In those prolonged and fearful troubles it is by no means improbable that the royal poet would give utterance to his feelings in more than one poetic effusion, or that some new phase of the trouble would suggest some new reflections, and lead him anew to seek consolation in religion, and to express his confidence in God. The psalm has a sufficient resemblance to the two preceding to accord with this supposition, and it can be read with profit with those scenes in view.
3. "Contents of the psalm." The psalm, so far as the sentiment is concerned, may be properly regarded as divided into four parts:
I. An earnest prayer of the author to God to hear him; to attend to his cry, and to deliver him, Psalm 5:1-3. His prayer in the morning he would direct to him, and with the returning light of day he would look up to him. In his troubles his first act would be each day to call upon God.
II. An expression of unwavering confidence in God as the protector and the friend of the righteous, and the enemy of all wickedness, Psalm 5:4-7. God, he was assured, had no pleasure in wickedness; would not suffer evil to dwell in his presence; would abhor all that was false and deceitful, and he might, therefore, in all his troubles, put his trust in him. In view of this fact - this characteristic of the divine nature - he says that he would enter his holy temple, where prayer was accustomed to be made, with confidence, and worship with profound reverence, Psalm 5:7.
III. Prayer to God, in view of all this, for his guidance and protection in his perplexities, Psalm 5:8-10. He felt himself surrounded by dangers; he was in perplexity as to the true way of safety; his enemies were powerful, numerous, and treacherous, and he beseeches God, therefore, to interpose and to deliver him from them - even by cutting them off. He prays that they might fall by their own counsels, and that, as they had rebelled against God, they might be checked and punished as they deserved.
IV. An exhortation, founded on these views, for all to put their trust in God, Psalm 5:11-12. What he had found to be true, all others would find to be true; and as he in his troubles had seen reason to put his trust in God, and had not been disappointed, so he exhorts all others, in similar circumstances, to do the same.
"To the chief muscian." See the note on the title to Psalm 4:1-8.

David continues instant in prayers Psalm 5:1, Psalm 5:2; makes early application to God, Psalm 5:3; and shows the hatred which God bears to the workers of iniquity, Psalm 5:4-6. His determination to worship God, and to implore direction and support, Psalm 5:7, Psalm 5:8. He points out the wickedness of his enemies, Psalm 5:9, and the destruction they may expect, Psalm 5:10; and then shows the happiness of those who trust in the Lord, Psalm 5:11, Psalm 5:12.
This Psalm is inscribed to the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. As neginoth may signify all kinds of instruments struck with a plectrum, stringed instruments, those like the drum, cymbals, etc.; so nechiloth, from חל chal, to be hollow, to bore through, may signify any kind of wind instruments, such as the horn, trumpet, flute, etc. See on Psalm 4:1-8 (note). The Septuagint have, Εις το τελος, ὑπερ της κληρονομουσης, "In favor of her who obtains the inheritance." The Vulgate and Arabic have a similar reading. The word נחילות nechiloth they have derived from נחל nachal, to inherit. This may either refer to the Israelites who obtained the inheritance of the promised land, or to the Church of Christ which obtains through him, by faith and prayer, the inheritance among the saints in light. This Psalm is, especially, for the whole Church of God.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 5
To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, a Psalm of David. This psalm, being written by David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is inscribed and sent to him who had the direction and management of the musical instruments used in religious worship in David's time, and afterwards in the temple service, called "nehiloth"; as the preceding psalm is inscribed to him who presided over those called "neginoth", Psalm 4:1; and as they seem to be such instruments as were played upon with the hand, stringed instruments, so these seem to be wind instruments, such as were blown with the mouth; as the flute, cornet, pipe, trumpet, and hautboy; the word being derived from the same root as "chalil", the pipe, is, and signifies hollow, and so designs such hollow instruments as above: Rabbenu Hai (x) thinks the instrument intended was so called from the humming of bees, which its sound resembled; "nechil shel deborim", with the Rabbins (y), signifying a swarm of bees; and a word from the same root in the Arabic language is used for a bee (z); though others have thought it might be so called from the murmuring noise of a brook or river, to which the sound of it might be like; because a word from the same root this is thought to come in the Hebrew language signifies a brook or river. The Septuagint version, which is followed by the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions, renders it, "for that which obtained the inheritance"; and the Arabic version, "concerning the inheritance"; and to this agrees the old Midrash (a) of the Jews; but what is the meaning is left to everyone to conjecture; the reason of these versions is because the root from whence this word is supposed to be derived signifies to "inherit": the Targum renders the whole inscription thus, "to sing upon the dances a song of David", as it does the title of the preceding psalm; Aben Ezra takes the word, as he does "neginoth", to be the first word of some song, to the tune of which this psalm was to be sung; and Jarchi interprets it "troops" or "armies", and says it is a prayer on account of the troops of enemies that came against Israel; and that the singer said this psalm on the behalf of all Israel. The Syriac interpreter calls it a prayer in the person of the church, when it went in the morning to the house of the Lord. The occasion of it seems to be the same with that of the two former: and certain it is that the psalmist was in distress by reason of wicked men when he wrote it, as appears from several passages in it; the ancient Jewish doctors (b) understood by them Doeg and Ahithophel; some think it was penned, as the preceding psalm, on account of the rebellion of Sheba, 2-Samuel 20:1.
(x) Apud Kimchi & Ben Melech in loc. So David de Pomis, Lexic. fol. 93. 1. (y) Maimon. in Misn. Bava Kama, c. 10. s. 2. (z) Alnachal, "apes", Arab. vers. Deut. i. 44. (a) Midrash Tillim apud Viccars. in loc. (b) Apud Kimchi & Arama in loc.

(Psalm 5:1-6) God will certainly hear prayer: David gives to God the glory, and takes to himself the comfort.
(Psalm 5:7-12) He prayed for himself, that God would guide him, and for all the Lord's people, that God would give them joy, and keep them safe.

(In the Hebrew, v.1 is the designation 'To the leader:....A Psalm of David'; from then on v.1-12 in English translation corresponds to v.2-13 in the Hebrew)
Morning Prayer before Going to the House of God
The evening prayer is now followed by a second morning prayer, which like the former draws to a close with כּי־אתּה (Psalm 4:8; Psalm 5:12). The situation is different from that in Psalm 3:1-8. In that Psalm David is fleeing, here he is in Jerusalem and anticipates going up to the Temple service. If this Psalm also belongs to the time of the rebellion of Absolom, it must have been written when the fire which afterwards broke forth was already smouldering in secret.
The inscription אל־הנּחילות is certainly not a motto indicative of its contents (lxx, Vulg., Luther, Hengstenberg). As such it would stand after מזמור. Whatever is connected with למנצח, always has reference to the music. If נחילות came from נחל it might according to the biblical use of this verb signify "inheritances," or according to its use in the Talmud "swarms," and in fact swarms of bees (Arab. naḥl); and נחילות ought then to be the beginning of a popular melody to which the Psalm is adapted. Hai Gaon understands it to denote a melody resembling the hum of bees; Reggio a song that sings of bees. Or is נחילות equivalent to נחלּות (excavatae) and this a special name for the flutes (חלילים)? The use of the flute in the service of the sanctuary is attested by Isaiah 30:29, cf. 1-Samuel 10:5; 1-Kings 1:40.
(Note: On the use of the flute in the second Temple, vid., Introduction p. 19.)
The praep. אל was, then, more appropriate than על; because, as Redslob has observed, the singer cannot play the flute at the same time, but can only sing to the playing of another.
The Psalm consists of four six line strophes. The lines of the strophes here and there approximate to the caesura-schema. They consist of a rising and a sudden lowering. The German language, which uses so many more words, is not adapted to this caesura-schema [and the same may be said of the English].