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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

Psalm 5[a]

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

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

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

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness(O)
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight(P) before me.
Not 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)
10 Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,(S)
    for they have rebelled(T) against you.
11 But 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)

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

Footnotes

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

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.

The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.

Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.

11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

12 For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.