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A Prayer for Guidance and Protection

For the music director; with the flutes. A psalm of David.[a]

Hear my words, O Yahweh.
Give heed to my sighing.[b]
Listen to the sound of my pleading,[c] my king and my God,
for to you I pray.
O Yahweh, in the morning you will hear my voice.
In the morning I will set forth[d] my case to you and I will watch.[e]
For you are not a God who desires[f] wickedness.
Evil cannot dwell with you.
The boastful do not stand before[g] your eyes.
You hate all evildoers.
You destroy speakers of lies.[h]
A man of bloodshed[i] and deceit Yahweh abhors.
But as for me,[j] through the abundance of your steadfast love[k]
I will enter your house.[l]
I will bow down[m] toward your holy temple[n] in awe of you.
O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies;
make straight before me your way.
For there is not anything reliable in his mouth;
their inner part is destruction.[o]
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.[p]
10 Treat them as guilty, O God;
let them fall because of their plans.
Because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take shelter in you rejoice.
Let them ever[q] sing for joy,
because[r] you spread protection over them;
And let those[s] who love your name exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous.
O Yahweh, like a[t] shield you surround him with good favor.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 5:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  2. Psalm 5:1 Or “murmuring”
  3. Psalm 5:2 Or “cry for help”
  4. Psalm 5:3 Or “present”
  5. Psalm 5:3 Or “look expectantly”
  6. Psalm 5:4 Or “takes delight in”
  7. Psalm 5:5 Or “in front of”
  8. Psalm 5:6 Hebrew “lie”
  9. Psalm 5:6 Literally “a man of bloods”
  10. Psalm 5:7 Literally “And I”
  11. Psalm 5:7 Or “covenant love”
  12. Psalm 5:7 Or “temple”
  13. Psalm 5:7 Or “I will worship”
  14. Psalm 5:7 Literally “the temple of your holiness”
  15. Psalm 5:9 Hebrew “destructions”
  16. Psalm 5:9 Or “flattery; smooth words”
  17. Psalm 5:11 Or “perpetually”
  18. Psalm 5:11 Literally “and”
  19. Psalm 5:11 Or “So that those”
  20. Psalm 5:12 Hebrew “the”

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.