Psalms 5

Give Ear to My Words

For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. 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.*Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. 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.*Or flattery; cited in Romans 3:13 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.