Does the New Testament quote Psalm 5?
Yes. In Romans 3:13 Paul quotes the words of verse 9, about the throat that is an open grave and the tongue that deceives, to show that all, Jews and Gentiles alike, are under sin.
Psalms · psalm 5 of 150
Psalm 5: Summary, Key Verses and Study Questions
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What happens in Psalm 5?
Psalm 5 is a morning prayer of David. He asks the Lord to hear his cry, declares that God takes no pleasure in wickedness and that liars cannot stand before him, asks to be led in God's righteousness, and ends with the joy of those who take refuge in the Lord, whom God surrounds with favor like a shield.
This psalm continues the series of David's prayers in danger. The title directs it to the choirmaster, for the flutes. After the evening prayer of Psalm 4, a new morning begins here, with a prayer that lays the cause before the Lord and waits for his answer. It is a lament with a strong contrast between the righteous and the wicked.
Psalm 5 summary
David asks God to give ear to his words and consider his groaning. In the morning he lays his request before the Lord and watches, because he knows that his King and his God will answer.
Then he describes God's character: he is not a God who delights in wickedness, and evil cannot dwell with him. The boastful cannot stand before his eyes; he hates all evildoers, destroys those who speak lies and abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
David, by contrast, enters the house of the Lord through the abundance of his steadfast love and bows in reverence. He asks to be led in God's righteousness because of his enemies, whose mouths have no truth, whose throats are open graves and who flatter with their tongues. He asks God to declare them guilty. He closes with an invitation to joy for all who take refuge in him, for the Lord blesses the righteous and covers him with favor as with a shield.
Chapter outline
- vv. 1-3: David brings his cry to the King and God who hears in the morning.
- vv. 4-6: God takes no pleasure in wickedness and rejects liars and the violent.
- vv. 7-8: David enters the house of the Lord and asks for guidance.
- vv. 9-10: A description of his enemies and a request that God judge them.
- vv. 11-12: The joy of those who take refuge in the Lord, who surrounds the righteous like a shield.
Key verses in Psalm 5
References follow ESV book names and verse numbers. Read each verse in your Bible before the explanation.
Psalm 5:3
In the morning David lays out his prayer and waits. Beginning the day in God's presence, with a specific request and with patience, was a daily habit of the psalmist.
Psalm 5:4
God takes no pleasure in wickedness, and evil cannot dwell with him. This psalm does not paint an indifferent God: his holiness is the reason the righteous can expect that evil will not have the last word.
Psalm 5:8
David asks to be led in the Lord's righteousness because of his enemies, and that God's way be made straight before him. Someone who knows he cannot move forward alone prays that God will set the course.
Psalm 5:12
The Lord blesses the righteous and covers him with favor as with a shield. It is the psalm's final answer: whoever takes refuge in God is not left exposed but sheltered by his grace.
Main themes
- Morning prayer
- The holiness of God
- Righteousness and deceit
- Guidance on the way
- Refuge and joy
People and places
- David
- The Lord
- The liars and the violent
Psalm 5 study questions and answers
6 questions with answers and references, ready for Sunday school, small group or a Bible quiz night.
1. When does David bring his prayer to the Lord?
Answer: In the morning, and he waits for the answer. — Psalm 5:3
2. What does David say God is not?
Answer: A God who delights in wickedness; evil does not dwell with him. — Psalm 5:4
3. Why can David enter the house of the Lord?
Answer: Through the abundance of God's steadfast love. — Psalm 5:7
4. What does David ask about his path?
Answer: That the Lord lead him in his righteousness and make his way straight before him. — Psalm 5:8
5. How does he describe the throat of his enemies?
Answer: As an open grave. — Psalm 5:9
6. How does the Lord surround the righteous?
Answer: With favor, as with a shield. — Psalm 5:12
Application for today
Psalm 5 invites us to begin the day by laying out our request and waiting. The word waiting corrects hurry and busyness: we pray and then watch for how God answers. A useful question is what a simple morning habit could look like, even if it lasts only five minutes.
The psalm also reminds us that God is holy. That is not a reason for fear for the believer, who enters his presence through his mercy and not through personal merit. Whoever takes refuge in him can rejoice, because the same God who rejects evil surrounds his people with favor.
Psalm 5 moves from morning prayer to the joy of those who take refuge in the Lord. Psalm 6 changes tone: now David prays out of deep suffering, with tears and a plea for mercy.
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 5
Why does the psalm say God hates evildoers?
The language is strong, but it refers to God's opposition to injustice, violence and lies. The New Testament adds that God offers forgiveness in Christ to anyone who repents.
What does it mean that David prays toward the sanctuary?
In verse 7 David bows down toward the holy temple. The psalms mention the temple as the place where God dwelt among his people; today believers draw near to God through Christ.