Psalm 5

The Refuge of the Righteous

For the choir director: with the flutes. A Davidic psalm.

Listen to my words, Lord;
consider my sighing.(A)
Pay attention to the sound of my cry,(B)
my King and my God,(C)
for I pray to You.

At daybreak,(D) Lord, You hear my voice;
at daybreak I plead my case to You(E) and watch expectantly.

For You are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil cannot dwell with You.(F)
The boastful cannot stand in Your presence;(G)
You hate all evildoers.(H)
You destroy those who tell lies;(I)
the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery.(J)

But I enter Your house
by the abundance of Your faithful love;(K)
I bow down toward Your holy temple
in reverential awe of You.(L)
Lord, lead me in Your righteousness(M)
because of my adversaries;[a]
make Your way straight before me.(N)

For there is nothing reliable in what they say;[b](O)
destruction is within them;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongues.(P)
10 Punish them, God;
let them fall by their own schemes.(Q)
Drive them out(R) because of their many crimes,
for they rebel against You.(S)

11 But let all who take refuge in You rejoice;(T)
let them shout for joy forever.
May You shelter them,(U)
and may those who love Your name boast about You.(V)
12 For You, Lord, bless the righteous one;
You surround him with favor like a shield.(W)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 5:8 Or of those who lie in wait for me
  2. Psalm 5:9 Lit in his mouth

To the Director: For flutes. A Davidic Psalm

A Prayer for God’s Help

Lord, listen to my words,
    consider my groaning.
Pay attention to my cry for help,[a]
    my king and my God,
        for unto you will I pray.
Lord, in the morning you will hear my voice;
    in the morning I will pray[b] to you,
    and I will watch for your answer.[c]

Indeed, you aren’t a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil will never dwell with you.
Boastful ones will not stand before you;
    you hate all those who practice wickedness.
You will destroy those who speak lies.
    The Lord abhors the person of bloodshed and deceit.
But I, because of the abundance of your gracious love,
    may come into your house.
        In awe of you, I will worship in your holy Temple.

Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies.
    Make your path straight before me.
But as for the wicked,[d]
    they do not speak truth at all.
        Inside them there is only wickedness.
Their throat is an open grave,
    on their tongue is deceitful flattery.

10 Declare them guilty, God!
    Let them fall by their own schemes.
Drive them away because of their many transgressions,
    for they have rebelled against you.

11 Let all those who take refuge in you rejoice!
    Let them shout for joy forever,
and may you protect them.
    Let those who love your name exult in you.
12 Indeed, you will bless the righteous one, Lord,
    like a large shield, you will surround him with favor.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 5:2 Lit. the sound of my cry for help
  2. Psalm 5:3 Lit. arrange my prayer
  3. Psalm 5:3 The Heb. lacks for your answer
  4. Psalm 5:9 The Heb. lacks as for the wicked