Psalms 35:5 - Exposition

Let them be as chaff before the wind (comp. Psalms 1:4 ; Isaiah 17:13 ; Isaiah 29:5 ; Hosea 13:3 ). Chaff is the type of whatever is light, vain, futile, and worthless; chaff driven before the wind represents the confused rout of a beaten army flying without any resistance before an enemy. And let the angel of the Lord chase them ; rather, smite them. The angel of the Lord, who protects the righteous ( Psalms 34:7 ), is called on to complete the discomfiture of the wicked ones, who are David's enemies.