Psalms

Give Ear to My Words

1 For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.

2 Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation.

4 For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.

5 The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.

6 You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.

7 But I will enter Your house by the abundance of Your loving devotion; in reverence I will bow down toward Your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.

9 For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

11 But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever shout for joy. May You shelter them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.

12 For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the shield of Your favor.

Footnotes:
5:7 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
5:9 Or flattery; cited in Romans 3:13