Psalms 5

A Prayer for Guidance and Protection

¹Hear my words, O Yahweh.

Give heed to my sighing.

²Listen to the sound of my pleading, my king and my God,[#Or “cry for help”]

for to you I pray.

³O Yahweh, in the morning you will hear my voice.

In the morning I will set forth my case to you and I will watch.

⁴For you are not a God who desires wickedness.[#Or “takes delight in”]

Evil cannot dwell with you.

⁵The boastful do not stand before your eyes.[#Or “in front of”]

You hate all evildoers.

⁶You destroy speakers of lies.[#Hebrew “lie”]

A man of bloodshed and deceit Yahweh abhors.

⁷But as for me, through the abundance of your steadfast love[#Literally “And I”; #Or “covenant love”]

I will enter your house.

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

⁸O Yahweh, lead me in your righteousness because of my enemies;

make straight before me your way.

⁹For there is not anything reliable in his mouth;

their inner part is destruction.

Their throat is an open grave;

with their tongue they speak deceit.

¹⁰Treat 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.

¹¹But let all who take shelter in you rejoice.

Let them ever sing for joy,

because you spread protection over them;

And let those who love your name exult in you.

¹²For you bless the righteous.

O Yahweh, like a shield you surround him with good favor.