Every verse here opens — tap a number for what that one means.
1Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
2Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
3In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation.
4For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.
5The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.
6You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
7But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.
8Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.
9For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
10Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.
11But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
12For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.
Commentary
Psalm 5, explained
What Psalm 5 is saying
Psalm 5 is a morning prayer that combines petition for divine guidance with an imprecatory appeal against the wicked. The psalmist presents himself at the temple in the morning (boqer), framing prayer as a daily morning offering. The characterization of the wicked emphasizes their deceptive speech—'their throat is an open grave' (qever-patuach g'ronam)—connecting sin to corrupted communication.
The background behind it
The superscription 'for flutes' (el-hanechilot) suggests specific instrumentation for temple worship. The psalm reflects a pre-exilic setting where the righteous could physically approach God's holy temple as part of their prayer life.
Themes running underneath
The psalm develops the theology of divine access: God does not welcome the arrogant or deceitful, but leads the righteous in His righteousness (tsedaqah). The imprecatory section expresses a desire for divine justice rather than personal vengeance, distinguishing judicial prayer from vindictiveness.
Why it still matters
This psalm models structuring one's day with morning prayer as the first act, presenting both personal needs and concerns about injustice to God. It also raises important questions about how to pray honestly when confronted with persistent evil.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.