Psalms 5

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[1]David prayeth, and professeth to be constant in prayer. [4]God favoureth not the wicked. [7]David professing his faith prayeth unto God to guide him because of the malice of his enemies; [10]to destroy them; [11]and to preserve the godly.

To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.

1. Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

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

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

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

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

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

7. 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.

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

9. 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.

Metrical version

Psalm 5

C.M. Stracathro

Give ear unto my words, O LORD,
my meditation weigh.
Hear my loud cry, my King, my God;
for I to thee will pray.

LORD, thou shalt early hear my voice:
I early will direct
My prayer to thee; and, looking up,
an answer will expect.

For thou art not a God that doth
in wickedness delight;
Neither shall evil dwell with thee,
nor fools stand in thy sight.

All that ill-doers are thou hat'st;
cutt'st off that liars be:
The bloody and deceitful man
abhorred is by thee.

But I into thy house will come
in thine abundant grace;
And I will worship in thy fear
toward thy holy place.

Because of those mine enemies,
LORD, in thy righteousness
Do thou me lead; do thou thy way
make straight before my face.

For in their mouth there is no truth,
their inward part is ill;
Their throat's an open sepulchre,
their tongue doth flatter still.

O God, destroy them; let them be
by their own counsel quelled:
Them for their many sins cast out,
for they 'gainst thee rebelled.

But let all joy that trust in thee,
and still make shouting noise;
For them thou sav'st: let all that love
thy name in thee rejoice.

For, LORD, unto the righteous man
thou wilt thy blessing yield:
With favour thou wilt compass him
about, as with a shield.