Chapter 5
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.
3My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
4For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
5The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
6Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
7But 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.
8Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
10Destroy 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.
11But 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.
12For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”
Overview
Psalm 5 is a morning prayer in which David asks God to hear his voice and consider his meditation as he directs his prayer upward and watches expectantly. He contrasts his approach to God with the wicked, whom God hates — the boastful, liars, the bloodthirsty, and the deceitful. David asks God to lead him in righteousness and make His way straight before his face. He closes by asking God to destroy the wicked and bless the righteous, surrounding them with favor as with a shield.
Key Themes
Morning Prayer and Expectant Watching
David models disciplined morning prayer — directing his requests to God early and then watching expectantly for God's answer.
God's Hatred of Evil
The psalm does not soften God's stance toward sin — He is not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, and no evil shall dwell with Him.
God's Favor as a Shield
The righteous are not merely tolerated by God but blessed and surrounded with His favor as a protective shield.
Study Questions
What does it mean to 'direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up' (v. 3)? How does expectant waiting shape our prayer life?
How do we reconcile the strong language of God hating workers of iniquity (v. 5) with the truth that God loves sinners?
David says 'Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness' (v. 8). Why does he need God's active guidance rather than relying on his own moral compass?
What is the significance of God's favor being compared to a shield (v. 12)?
How does this psalm balance honest acknowledgment of evil with joyful trust in God's protection?
Connection to Christ
Jesus perfectly embodied the morning prayer life David describes, often rising before dawn to pray (Mark 1:35). Christ is the righteous one whom the Father surrounds with favor. Through Him, believers can boldly approach God's presence — something the wicked cannot do — and are encompassed by divine favor.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 5. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?