The big picture
Psalms 5 opens in verse 1 with “Give ear to my words, O LORD , consider my meditation.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful…”, and closes in verse 12 with “For thou, LORD , wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, destroy, morning, multitude, voice. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Psalms · King James Version · 12Psalms 5:1-6
1–6: Give ear to my words, O LORD , consider my meditation.
Psalms 5:1–6 opens with “Give ear to my words, O LORD , consider my meditation.” and reaches “Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 5 develops its own movement around LORD, destroy, morning, multitude, voice, with particular weight carried by LORD, morning, voice.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Give ear to my words, O LORD , consider my meditation.” Naming Give keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Psalms 5:1-6
King James Version1Give 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.
Psalms 5:7-12
7–12: As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and…
Psalms 5:7–12 opens with “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I…” and reaches “For thou, LORD , wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Psalms 5 develops its own movement around LORD, destroy, morning, multitude, voice, with particular weight carried by LORD, multitude, bless.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The line’s distinctive content terms include fear, holy, house. Its relationship to verses 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
Psalms 5:7-12
King James Version7But 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Psalms 5:1 begins with “Give ear to my words, O LORD , consider my meditation.”
Where the chapter turns
Psalms 5:7 forms a natural hinge: “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.”
The final note
Psalms 5:12 leaves the reader with “For thou, LORD , wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, destroy, morning, multitude, voice, wickedness help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.