Psalm 5

New International Version

Psalm 5^[a]

For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

¹Listen^(A) to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.^(B)
²Hear my cry for help,^(C)
    my King and my God,^(D)
    for to you I pray.

³In the morning,^(E) Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.^(F)
⁴For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people^(G) are not welcome.
⁵The arrogant^(H) cannot stand^(I)
    in your presence.
You hate^(J) all who do wrong;
⁶    you destroy those who tell lies.^(K)
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence^(L) I bow down^(M)
    toward your holy temple.^(N)

⁸Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness^(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight^(P) before me.
⁹Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;^(Q)
    with their tongues they tell lies.^(R)
¹⁰Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,^(S)
    for they have rebelled^(T) against you.
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.^(U)
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name^(V) may rejoice in you.^(W)

¹²Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;^(X)
you surround them^(Y) with your favor as with a shield.^(Z)

Footnotes

Psalm 5:1 In Hebrew texts 5:1-12 is numbered 5:2-13.

Proverbs 5

New International Version

Warning Against Adultery

5 My son,^(A) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words^(B) of insight,
²that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
³For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;^(C)
⁴but in the end she is bitter as gall,^(D)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
⁵Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.^(E)
⁶She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.^(F)

⁷Now then, my sons, listen^(G) to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
⁸Keep to a path far from her,^(H)
    do not go near the door of her house,
⁹lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity^[a] to one who is cruel,
¹⁰lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.^(I)
¹¹At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
¹²You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!^(J)
¹³I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
¹⁴And I was soon in serious trouble^(K)
    in the assembly of God’s people.”^(L)

¹⁵Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
¹⁶Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
¹⁷Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
¹⁸May your fountain^(M) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.^(N)
¹⁹A loving doe, a graceful deer^(O)—
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
²⁰Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

²¹For your ways are in full view^(P) of the Lord,
    and he examines^(Q) all your paths.^(R)
²²The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;^(S)
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.^(T)
²³For lack of discipline they will die,^(U)
    led astray by their own great folly.^(V)