Psalm 5

Overview

"Hear my case!"

Purpose: To petition the divine King and Judge for justice from enemies.

Content: YHWH, act justly! Banish the evildoers! Shelter the righteous!

Message: YHWH is a just ruler and he blesses the just.

Author: David

Translation

Click 'Expand' to the right to see our Close-but-Clear translation of Psalm 5.

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1. For the director, on the flutes, a psalm by David.

2. Listen to my words, YHWH.

Understand my murmuring.

3. Pay attention to the sound of my cry for help,

my king and my God,

for I am praying to you.

4. YHWH, in the morning you hear my voice.

In the morning I arrange my case for you and wait.

5. For you are not a god pleased with wickedness.

Evil will not sojourn with you.

6. Boasters will not stand before your eyes.

You hate all workers of evil.

7. You will destroy speakers of falsehood.

YHWH abhors a person of bloodshed and treachery.

8. But I, in the greatness of your loyalty, will go to your house.

I will bow down toward your holy temple in fear of you.

9. YHWH, lead me in your righteousness

because of my enemies.

Make your way straight before me.

10. For there is nothing true in his mouth.

Their inner parts are disaster.

Their throat is an open tomb.

They make their tongues deceitful.

11. Make them bear their guilt, God.

Let them fall on account of their designs.

Drive them out because of the greatness of their crimes,

for they have rebelled against you.

12. And let all those who take refuge in you rejoice.

Let them shout forever, and may you shelter them,

and let those who love you exult in you.

13. For you bless the righteous one.

YHWH, like a large shield, you surround him with favour.

The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.

For links to other translations of Psalm 5, click here.

Videos

Poetic Features Video

Video forthcoming

Exegetical Issues Video

Video forthcoming

Verse-by-Verse

Click the link to view all of Psalm 5 Verse-by-Verse, or click on an individual verse below.

• v. 1
• v. 2
• v. 3
• v. 4
• v. 5
• v. 6
• v. 7
• v. 8
• v. 9
• v. 10
• v. 11
• v. 12
• v. 13

Layer-by-Layer

Psalm Overview

• Grammar
• Semantics
• Story behind the Psalm
• Discourse
• Poetics

Exegetical Issues

Forthcoming