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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 5

Psalm 5 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

WisdomMercy & ForgivenessLament
Old Testament

Psalm 5

1For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David. Give ear to my words, LORD. Consider my meditation.

2Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you.

3LORD, in the morning you will hear my voice. In the morning I will lay my requests before you, and will watch expectantly.

4For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness. Evil can’t live with you.

5The arrogant will not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.

6You will destroy those who speak lies. The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7But as for me, in the abundance of your loving kindness I will come into your house. I will bow toward your holy temple in reverence of you.

8Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.

9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.

10Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you.

11But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.

12For you will bless the righteous. LORD, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 5

Psalm 5 is read especially through the theme of wisdom, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book I (Psalms 1–41). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Wisdom, Mercy & Forgiveness, Lament. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 5

Psalm 5 contains 12 verses and about 240 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “For the Chief Musician, with the flutes. A Psalm by David. Give ear to my words, LORD. Consider my meditation.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 12 closes: “For you will bless the righteous. LORD, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, voice, morning, chief, musician, flutes. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 5

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 5:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes wisdom, with related themes of Wisdom, Mercy & Forgiveness, Lament. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

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