Psalms 5:9 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David describes his enemies as fundamentally dishonest and corrupt in their core being.
The Context of Psalms 5:9
A description of the enemies' characteristic dishonesty and spiritual corruption.
What Does Psalms 5:9 Mean?
The portrait is devastating in its accuracy. These enemies lack faithfulness in speech—their words cannot be trusted. More critically, their 'inward part is very wickedness,' indicating that corruption is not surface behavior but central to their character. Speech flows from the heart, and theirs is poisoned.
The image of the throat as 'an open sepulchre' is visceral—their words bring death and decay, spreading spiritual contamination like an open tomb. They 'flatter with their tongue,' using sweet speech to disguise corrupt intention. The entire passage shows how deceptive words conceal a wicked interior.
Psalms 5:9 in the Original Language
sepulchre (קֶבֶר, qeber), 'tomb, grave' — a place of death and decay
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalms 5:9
What does Psalms 5:9 mean?
David describes his enemies as fundamentally dishonest and corrupt in their core being.
What is the context of Psalms 5:9?
A description of the enemies' characteristic dishonesty and spiritual corruption.