Psalm 5 is a morning prayer: “Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry… O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice. In the morning I will stand before thee.” The Church prays it at Morning Prayer, and one of its verses gave the English language the word “dirge.” Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.
Psalm 5 in the Douay-Rheims Bible
Unto the end, for her that obtaineth the inheritance. A psalm of David.
Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.
Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.
For to thee will I pray: O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.
In the morning I will stand before thee, and will see: because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.
Neither shall the wicked dwell near thee: nor shall the unjust abide before thy eyes.
Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie. The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.
But as for me in the multitude of thy mercy, I will come into thy house; I will worship towards thy holy temple, in thy fear.
Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice: because of my enemies, direct my way in thy sight.
For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain.
Their throat is an open sepulchre: they dealt deceitfully with their tongues: judge them, O God. Let them fall from their devices: according to the multitude of their wickedness cast them out: for they have provoked thee, O Lord.
But let all them be glad that hope in thee: they shall rejoice for ever, and thou shalt dwell in them. And all they that love thy name shall glory in thee:
For thou wilt bless the just. O Lord, thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.
Psalm 5: the same number in every Bible
Psalm 5 has the same number in the Douay-Rheims and in modern Bibles: the Greek and Latin numbering used by the Douay only differs from the Hebrew numbering between Psalms 10 and 147. In Latin the psalm begins Verba mea auribus percipe, Domine. See how many psalms are there?
What the psalm means
- Prayer at dawn: the first words of the day belong to God.
- God hates evil: the psalmist knows that God is not a God “that willest iniquity.”
- Coming into God’s house by mercy: “in the multitude of thy mercy, I will come into thy house,” not by our own merit.
- A prayer for guidance: “Conduct me, O Lord, in thy justice… direct my way in thy sight.”
- Joy for those who trust: “let all them be glad that hope in thee… thou hast crowned us, as with a shield of thy good will.”
How the Church uses Psalm 5
- At Morning Prayer (Lauds) on Monday of Week I. See Lauds.
- In the traditional Office of the Dead, Matins began with the antiphon Dirige, Domine, Deus meus, in conspectu tuo viam meam, “Direct my way in thy sight, O Lord my God,” from verse 9. Its first word gave English the word “dirge.” See Catholic prayers for the dead.
A prayer with Psalm 5
Written for this page:
Lord, hear my words and listen to my cry; in the morning you hear my voice.
In the abundance of your mercy, I come into your house.
Lead me in your justice and make your way straight before me.
Let all who hope in you rejoice, and crown us with your favor. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Psalm 5 a morning psalm?
Because it says, “O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice. In the morning I will stand before thee.” The Church prays it at Morning Prayer.
Where does the word “dirge” come from?
From Dirige, the first word of the antiphon from Psalm 5:9 that opened Matins in the traditional Office of the Dead.
More psalms and prayers
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Psalm 5, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayer was written for this page.