Psalm 5

English Standard Version

Lead Me in Your Righteousness

To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
    consider my ^(A)groaning.
²Give attention to the sound of my cry,
    my ^(B)King and my God,
    for ^(C)to you do I pray.
³O Lord, in ^(D)the morning you hear my voice;
    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you^[a] and ^(E)watch.

⁴For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
    evil may not dwell with you.
⁵The ^(F)boastful shall not ^(G)stand before your eyes;
    you ^(H)hate all evildoers.
⁶You destroy those who speak ^(I)lies;
    the Lord abhors ^(J)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
    will enter your house.
I will ^(K)bow down ^(L)toward your ^(M)holy temple
    in the fear of you.
⁸^(N)Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies;
    ^(O)make your way straight before me.

⁹For there is no truth in their mouth;
    their inmost self is ^(P)destruction;
^(Q)their throat is ^(R)an open grave;
    they ^(S)flatter with their tongue.
¹⁰^(T)Make them bear their guilt, O God;
    let them ^(U)fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
    for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹But let all who ^(V)take refuge in you ^(W)rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may ^(X)exult in you.
¹²For you ^(Y)bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you ^(Z)cover him with favor as with ^(AA)a shield.