AncientWord

Footnotes

YHWH/YAHWEH/Jehovah also the LORD

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Psalms 5:1 Transliteration

הַאֲזִינָה יְהוָה דְּבָרָי, בִּינָה הָגִיגִי. (Ha'ăzînāh YHWH dĕvārāy, bînâ hāgîgî.)

• הַאֲזִינָה (ha'ăzînāh) – Give ear! / Listen! (imperative, masculine singular)

• יְהוָה (YHWH) – Yahweh

• דְּבָרָי (dĕvārāy) – my words

• בִּינָה (bînâ) – understand! / give understanding to! (imperative)

• הָגִיגִי (hāgîgî) – my meditation / murmuring / internal utterance

 

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Psalms 5:1 Translator Notes

• Ha'ăzînāh is a direct plea meaning “tilt your ear” or “pay close attention.”

• Hāgîgî comes from the root הגה (hāgâ) meaning “to murmur, meditate, sigh”; it conveys inward thought or soft utterance.

• The verse pairs outward speech (“my words”) with inward thought (“my meditation”), showing David’s desire for Yahweh to hear both spoken and unspoken prayers.

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Psalms 5:2 Transliteration

הַקְשִׁיבָה לְקוֹל שַׁוְעִי, מַלְכִּי וֵאלֹהָי, כִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶתְפַּלֵּל. (Haqqĕshîvāh lĕqōl shav‘î, malkî wĕ’lōhāy, kî ’ēlekhā ’etpallēl.)

• הַקְשִׁיבָה (haqqĕshîvāh) – Listen attentively! / Give heed! (imperative)

• לְקוֹל (lĕqōl) – to the voice

• שַׁוְעִי (shav‘î) – of my cry for help

• מַלְכִּי (malkî) – my king

• וֵאלֹהָי (wĕ’lōhāy) – and my God

• כִּי (kî) – for / because

• אֵלֶיךָ (’ēlekhā) – to you

• אֶתְפַּלֵּל (’etpallēl) – I will pray / I will make supplication

 

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Psalms 5:2 Translator Notes

• Haqqĕshîvāh (from קשב) is more intense than ha'ăzînāh (v.1), meaning to pay close, active attention.

• Shav‘î is a desperate cry, often used in times of distress or need.

• The pairing “my King and my God” shows both covenant relationship and submission to Yahweh’s rule.

• The verb ’etpallēl is imperfect, indicating an ongoing or determined action: “I will pray” (as a resolve).

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Psalms 5:3 Transliteration

יְהוָה, בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי; בֹּקֶר אֶעֱרָךְ-לְךָ, וַאֲצַפֶּה. (YHWH, bōqer tishma‘ qōlî; bōqer ’e‘ĕrākh-lekha, wa’ătsappeh.)

• יְהוָה (YHWH) – Yahweh

• בֹּקֶר (bōqer) – morning

• תִּשְׁמַע (tishma‘) – you will hear / you hear (imperfect)

• קוֹלִי (qōlî) – my voice

• בֹּקֶר (bōqer) – morning

• אֶעֱרָךְ (’e‘ĕrākh) – I will arrange / set in order (root ערך, often used for laying out sacrifice or presenting something in order)

• לְךָ (lekha) – for you / to you

• וַאֲצַפֶּה (wa’ătsappeh) – and I will watch / look out expectantly

 

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Psalms 5:3 Translator Notes

• The repetition of bōqer (“morning”) emphasizes the time of prayer—early, deliberate communion.

• ’E‘ĕrākh is the same verb used in Leviticus for arranging the wood and the sacrifice on the altar (Lev 1:7–8), implying that David sees his prayer as a kind of morning offering.

• Wa’ătsappeh conveys eager watching, like a watchman waiting for dawn or for God’s response (compare Habakkuk 2:1).

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Psalms 5:4 Transliteration

כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע, אָתָּה: לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. (Kî lō’ ’ēl ḥāfēts resha‘, ’āttāh; lō’ yĕgûrekhā rā‘.)

• כִּי (kî) – for / because

• לֹא (lō’) – not

• אֵל (’ēl) – God

• חָפֵץ (ḥāfēts) – delights in / takes pleasure in

• רֶשַׁע (resha‘) – wickedness / evil

• אָתָּה (’āttāh) – you

• לֹא (lō’) – not

• יְגוּרְךָ (yĕgûrekhā) – may sojourn with you / dwell with you

• רָע (rā‘) – evil (person or thing)

 

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Psalms 5:4 Translator Notes

• The structure places ’āttāh (“you”) after the phrase, adding emphasis: “You—[are] not a God who delights in wickedness.”

• Ḥāfēts implies active desire or inclination. God does not merely tolerate but rejects wickedness.

• Yĕgûrekhā comes from gûr (“to dwell as a sojourner/guest”), meaning evil cannot even temporarily reside near Him.

• This verse introduces the moral context of the psalm: God’s nature is incompatible with evil presence.

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Psalms 5:5 Transliteration

לֹא-יִתְיַצְּבוּ הוֹלְלִים, לְנֶגֶד עֵינֶיךָ; שָׂנֵאתָ, כָּל-פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן. (Lō-yityatstsĕbû hōlĕlîm lĕneged ‘ênêkha; śānē’tā kol-pō‘ălê ’āwen.)

• לֹא (lō’) – not

• יִתְיַצְּבוּ (yityatstsĕbû) – they shall stand firm / present themselves (hitpael imperfect)

• הוֹלְלִים (hōlĕlîm) – the boastful / the arrogant

• לְנֶגֶד (lĕneged) – before / in front of / in the presence of

• עֵינֶיךָ (‘ênêkha) – your eyes

• שָׂנֵאתָ (śānē’tā) – you hate (perfect, past tense, but often expressing present reality)

• כָּל (kol) – all

• פֹּעֲלֵי (pō‘ălê) – workers / doers of

• אָוֶן (’āwen) – iniquity / vanity / trouble / wickedness

 

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Psalms 5:5 Translator Notes

• Yityatstsĕbû is reflexive: “they set themselves” or “take their stand.” Here it conveys that they cannot even position themselves before God.

• Hōlĕlîm derives from hālal (“to boast, act madly, act arrogantly”). It describes those puffed up in pride.

• Śānē’tā—though perfect tense (“you hated”)—in Hebrew can express an established reality: God’s abiding hatred toward the actions of the wicked and, in this context, also the doers themselves (“all workers of iniquity”).

• ’Āwen has nuances of “emptiness, trouble, wickedness” — evil that is both vain and destructive.

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Psalms 5:6 Transliteration

תְּאַבֵּד דֹּבְרֵי כָזָב; אִישׁ דָּמִים וּמִרְמָה, יְתָעֵב יְהוָה. (Tĕ’abēd dōvrê kāzāv; ’îsh dāmîm ûmirmāh, yĕtā’ēv YHWH.)

• תְּאַבֵּד (tĕ’abēd) – you destroy (imperfect)

• דֹּבְרֵי (dōvrê) – speakers of

• כָזָב (kāzāv) – lies / falsehood

• אִישׁ (’îsh) – man

• דָּמִים (dāmîm) – of bloods (bloodshed, violence)

• וּמִרְמָה (ûmirmāh) – and deceit / treachery

• יְתָעֵב (yĕtā’ēv) – abhors / loathes (imperfect)

• יְהוָה (YHWH) – Yahweh

 

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Psalms 5:6 Translator Notes

• Tĕ’abēd implies active destruction—not mere rejection but causing to perish.

• Dōvrê kāzāv targets not just lying words but habitual lying persons.

• Dāmîm (“bloods”) is plural, denoting acts of bloodshed or guilt of multiple lives.

• Yĕtā’ēv expresses strong abhorrence—this is moral revulsion, not simple disapproval.

• There is a poetic parallel: destroy (active act) ↔ abhor (emotional rejection), together forming a complete picture of God’s stance toward violent, deceitful people.

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Psalms 5:7 Transliteration

וַאֲנִי, בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ; אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל-הֵיכַל קָדְשְׁךָ, בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ. (Wa’anî, bĕrōv ḥasdekhā ’ābō’ bêthekhā; ’eshtaḥăweh ’el-hêkhal qodshĕkhā, bĕyir’āthekhā.)

• וַאֲנִי (wa’anî) – but as for me / and I

• בְּרֹב (bĕrōv) – in the abundance of

• חַסְדְּךָ (ḥasdekhā) – your steadfast love / covenant mercy

• אָבוֹא (’ābō’) – I will come / I shall enter

• בֵּיתֶךָ (bêthekhā) – your house

• אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה (’eshtaḥăweh) – I will bow down / prostrate myself

• אֶל (’el) – toward / to

• הֵיכַל (hêkhal) – temple / palace

• קָדְשְׁךָ (qodshĕkhā) – your holiness

• בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ (bĕyir’āthekhā) – in your fear / reverence of you

 

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Psalms 5:7 Translator Notes

• This verse forms a contrast (wa’anî – “but I”) between the fate of the wicked (vv.4–6) and the psalmist’s privileged access.

• Ḥesed here is not mere kindness but covenantal, faithful love—David approaches God not because of his own merit, but because of God’s covenant grace.

• Hêkhal at this time likely refers to the sanctuary/tabernacle (since Solomon’s temple was not yet built), but poetically it means God’s holy dwelling.

• Bĕyir’āthekhā denotes reverential fear—humble awe, not terror.

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Psalms 5:8 Transliteration

יְהוָה, נְחֵנִי בְצִדְקָתֶךָ, לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי; הַיְשַׁר לְפָנַי, דַּרְכֶּךָ. (YHWH, nĕḥēnî bĕtsidqātekhā, lĕma‘an shōrerāy; hayĕshar lĕfānay darkekha.)

• יְהוָה (YHWH) – Yahweh

• נְחֵנִי (nĕḥēnî) – lead me / guide me (imperative with 1cs suffix: “me”)

• בְצִדְקָתֶךָ (bĕtsidqātekhā) – in your righteousness

• לְמַעַן (lĕma‘an) – for the sake of / because of

• שׁוֹרְרָי (shōrerāy) – my watchers / those lying in wait (enemies who watch to ambush)

• הַיְשַׁר (hayĕshar) – make straight / make level (imperative)

• לְפָנַי (lĕfānay) – before me / in front of me

• דַּרְכֶּךָ (darkekha) – your way / your path

 

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Psalms 5:8 Translator Notes

• Nĕḥēnî – from נחה (nāḥâ), a verb used for leading sheep or guiding travelers (cf. Psalm 23:3).

• Shōrerāy – from a root meaning “to keep watch with hostility”; it implies adversaries who seek a chance to strike.

• Hayĕshar – from ישר (yāshar), meaning to make level or straight, often used for roads—here a metaphor for removing obstacles or moral hindrances in walking God’s way.

• The focus shifts: from entering God’s presence (v.7) → to seeking His guidance in a world full of hostile observers.

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Psalms 5:9 Transliteration

כִּי אֵין בְּפִיהוּ נְכוֹנָה; קִרְבָּם הַוּוֹת, קֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ גְּרוֹנָם; לְשׁוֹנָם יַחֲלִיקוּן. (Kî ’ên bĕfîhû nĕkhônāh; qirbām hawwōt, qever pātuach gĕrōnām; lĕshōnām yaḥălîqûn.)

• כִּי (kî) – for / because

• אֵין (’ên) – there is not / nothing

• בְּפִיהוּ (bĕfîhû) – in his/their mouth

• נְכוֹנָה (nĕkhônāh) – firmness / truth / reliability

• קִרְבָּם (qirbām) – their inward part / inner being

• הַוּוֹת (hawwōt) – destruction / ruin / engulfing ruin

• קֶבֶר (qever) – grave / tomb

• פָּתוּחַ (pātuach) – open

• גְּרוֹנָם (gĕrōnām) – their throat

• לְשׁוֹנָם (lĕshōnām) – their tongue

• יַחֲלִיקוּן (yaḥălîqûn) – they smoothen / flatter / make slippery

 

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Psalms 5:9 Translator Notes

• This verse shifts to a forensic description of the wicked, laying the basis for the psalmist’s plea for judgment.

• Nĕkhônāh denotes stability, something firm or reliable—here absent in their speech.

• Hawwōt (plural of hāwāh) carries the sense of engulfing ruin, a destructive abyss within.

• Qever pātuach (“open grave”) is an image of death and corruption proceeding from their throat—their speech is like a tomb exhaling decay. Paul quotes this in Romans 3:13 to describe universal human depravity.

• Yaḥălîqûn (from חלק) means “to make smooth,” i.e., flattery or deceptive talk.

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Psalms 5:10 Transliteration

הַאֲשִׁימֵם אֱלֹהִים, יִפְּלוּ מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם; בְּרֹב פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם הַדִּיחֵמוֹ, כִּי מָרוּ בָךְ. (Ha’ăshîmēm ’ĕlōhîm, yippĕlû mimmō‘ătsōtēhem; bĕrōv pish‘êhem haddîḥēmô, kî māru bākh.)

• הַאֲשִׁימֵם (ha’ăshîmēm) – make them guilty! / declare them guilty! (hiphil imperative)

• אֱלֹהִים (’ĕlōhîm) – God

• יִפְּלוּ (yippĕlû) – let them fall (imperfect, jussive nuance)

• מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם (mimmō‘ătsōtēhem) – from their counsels / plans

• בְּרֹב (bĕrōv) – in the multitude of

• פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם (pish‘êhem) – their transgressions / rebellions

• הַדִּיחֵמוֹ (haddîḥēmô) – thrust them away / cast them out

• כִּי (kî) – for / because

• מָרוּ (māru) – they have rebelled

• בָךְ (bākh) – against you

 

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Psalms 5:10 Translator Notes

• This is the imprecatory heart of the psalm: the psalmist appeals for God’s justice, not personal revenge.

• Ha’ăshîmēm – from אָשַׁם (’āsham), “to declare guilty,” is a legal term: a plea for divine indictment.

• Mō‘ătsōt – plans or counsels; their own schemes are envisioned as the trap that will make them fall.

• Haddîḥēmô – strong verb meaning to drive away, banish, or cast out—covenantal expulsion.

• Māru – “they rebelled” – this is covenant language: rebellion against YHWH, not merely against the psalmist.

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Psalms 5:11 Transliteration

וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל-חֹסֵי בָךְ, לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ; וְתָסֵךְ עָלֵימוֹ, וְיַעְלְצוּ בְךָ אֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ. (Wĕyisĕmaḥû kol-ḥōsê bākh, lĕ‘ōlām yĕrannēnû; wĕtāsēkh ‘ālēmô, wĕya‘lĕtsû bĕkhā ’ōhavê shĕmekhā.)

• וְיִשְׂמְחוּ (wĕyisĕmaḥû) – and let them rejoice (imperfect/jussive)

• כָל-חֹסֵי (kol-ḥōsê) – all who take refuge

• בָךְ (bākh) – in you

• לְעוֹלָם (lĕ‘ōlām) – forever

• יְרַנֵּנוּ (yĕrannēnû) – let them sing for joy

• וְתָסֵךְ (wĕtāsēkh) – and you will cover / protect

• עָלֵימוֹ (‘ālēmô) – over them

• וְיַעְלְצוּ (wĕya‘lĕtsû) – and let them exult / shout in triumph

• בְךָ (bĕkhā) – in you

• אֹהֲבֵי (’ōhavê) – those who love

• שְׁמֶךָ (shĕmekhā) – your name

 

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Psalms 5:11 Translator Notes

• A marked shift in tone: from judgment (v.10) to blessing for the righteous.

• Ḥōsê bākh – those who flee to you for refuge—language of covenantal trust.

• Tāsēkh – from סָכַךְ (sākhakh), “to cover, screen, shelter,” often used of God’s protective presence (e.g., Psalm 91:4).

• Joy here is perpetual (lĕ‘ōlām) and active (singing, exulting), showing that God’s justice leads to joy for His faithful.

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Psalms 5:12 Transliteration

כִּי-אַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ צַדִּיק; יְהוָה, כַּצִּנָּה רָצוֹן תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ. (Kî-’attāh tĕvārēkh tsaddîq; YHWH, kaṣṣinnāh rāṣôn ta‘tĕrēnnû.)

• כִּי (kî) – for / because

• אַתָּה (’attāh) – you

• תְבָרֵךְ (tĕvārēkh) – you bless

• צַדִּיק (tsaddîq) – the righteous one / righteous person

• יְהוָה (YHWH) – Yahweh

• כַּצִּנָּה (kaṣṣinnāh) – like a shield (large protective shield)

• רָצוֹן (rāṣôn) – favor / goodwill / acceptance

• תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ (ta‘tĕrēnnû) – you surround / crown him (root עטר, to encircle or crown)

 

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Psalms 5:12 Translator Notes

• The final verse grounds the psalm’s confidence: God’s blessing and protection encircle the righteous like a large defensive shield (ṣinnāh).

• Rāṣôn is covenantal favor—God’s delight or goodwill.

• Ta‘tĕrēnnû literally means “you crown him,” but in context it describes an encircling protection (crown as a surrounding).

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