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Psalms 5:8

WEBKJVBSBESVNKJVNASBNLT
Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.
Psalms 5:8 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Lead me, Yahweh, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.
  • BSB Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me.
  • NKJV Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.
  • NASB ¶Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before me.
  • NLT Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

David asks God to lead him in righteousness and make His way straight before him. Surrounded by enemies, he seeks God's guidance above all.

Overview

Aware of foes watching to make him stumble, David prays not first for their defeat but for God to lead him in a righteous, clear path. Right living under God's direction is his chief concern. This reflects the believer's prayer to walk uprightly, following Christ, who is Himself the way (John 14:6).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • Ps 27:11Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
  • Ps 25:4–5Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
  • Prov 3:5–6Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
  • Ps 86:11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
  • Ps 119:10With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
  • Ps 143:8–10Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
  • Prov 4:25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
  • Ps 119:64The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.
  • Ps 31:1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
  • Ps 59:10The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.
  • Matt 3:3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
  • Ps 54:5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
  • Heb 12:13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
  • 2 Sam 12:14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)
FLATTERY

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 5:8YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 5:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.

Leadנָחָהme, O LORDיְהֹוָהin thy righteousnessצְדָקָהbecause of mine enemiesשָׁרַרmake thy wayדֶּרֶךְstraightיָשַׁרbefore my faceפָּנִים
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