Psalm 5:4 - Give Ear to My Words

Audio Bible

Context

Give Ear to My Words
…3In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation. 4For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You. 5The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all workers of iniquity.…

Cross References

Habakkuk 1:13
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?James 1:13
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.1 John 1:5
And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...Romans 1:18
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.Isaiah 59:1-2
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. / But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?Ephesians 5:5
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.Psalm 11:5
The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.Revelation 21:27
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Psalm 50:21
These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

1 Chronicles 29:17
I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

Habakkuk 1:13
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

evil

Psalm 94:20
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

Psalm 101:7
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

Psalm 140:13
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

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Psalm 5

For You are not a God who delights in wickedness;
This phrase emphasizes the holiness and righteousness of God, contrasting Him with the pagan deities of the surrounding cultures during the time of the psalmist. Unlike the gods of the Canaanites, who were often depicted as capricious and morally ambiguous, the God of Israel is portrayed as inherently good and just. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that God is light and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). The rejection of wickedness is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, seen in passages like Habakkuk 1:13, which states that God's eyes are too pure to look on evil. This phrase also sets the stage for understanding God's judgment and justice, as He cannot condone or take pleasure in sin.

no evil can dwell with You.
This part of the verse underscores the separation between God and sin, highlighting His absolute purity. The concept of dwelling suggests a close, intimate presence, which is impossible for evil in the presence of a holy God. This is reflected in the tabernacle and temple practices, where only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only after extensive purification rituals (Leviticus 16). Theologically, this separation is foundational to the understanding of sin and redemption, as it necessitates a mediator between God and humanity, fulfilled in Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). The phrase also points to the eschatological hope found in Revelation 21:27, where nothing impure will enter the New Jerusalem, emphasizing the ultimate triumph of God's holiness.

Persons / Places / Events

1. David
- The author of Psalm 5, David is expressing his understanding of God's nature and character in this prayerful psalm.

2. God
- The central figure in this verse, God is depicted as holy and righteous, unable to tolerate wickedness or evil.

3. Wickedness
- Represents actions and thoughts that are contrary to God's nature and commands.

4. Evil
- Refers to moral corruption and sin, which cannot coexist with God's holiness.

Teaching Points

God's Holiness
God’s nature is inherently holy, and He cannot tolerate sin. This understanding should lead us to a deeper reverence for His purity and righteousness.

Call to Righteous Living
As followers of Christ, we are called to pursue righteousness and turn away from wickedness, aligning our lives with God’s standards.

The Nature of Sin
Recognizing that sin creates a barrier between us and God should motivate us to seek forgiveness and strive for holiness.

God's Incompatibility with Evil
Understanding that no evil can dwell with God should encourage us to examine our lives and remove anything that is not pleasing to Him.

Prayer and Repentance
Like David, we should approach God in prayer, acknowledging His holiness and seeking His guidance to live a life free from sin.

(4) Neither shall evil.--Better, the wicked man is not thy guest. For the same thought, see Psalms 15; and for the opposite, of God coming to dwell with the godly, Isaiah 57:15.

Verse 4. - For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness. Thou wilt listen to the prayer of a righteous man (Psalm 4:1), since thou dost not delight in wickedness, but in goodness. Neither shall evil dwell with thee. Light has no fellowship with darkness. Evil men can obtain no support from thee, who art All-holy. They will scarcely venture to ask thy aid. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

For
כִּ֤י ׀ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

You
אָ֑תָּה (’āt·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are not
לֹ֤א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

a God
אֵֽל־ (’êl-)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

who delights
חָפֵ֘ץ (ḥā·p̄êṣ)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2655: Delighting in, having pleasure in

in wickedness;
רֶ֥שַׁע ׀ (re·ša‘)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7562: Wickedness

no
לֹ֖א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

evil
רָֽע׃ (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

can dwell with You.
יְגֻרְךָ֣ (yə·ḡur·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1481: To turn aside from the road, sojourn, to shrink, fear, to gather for, hostility

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