Psalm 5 12

Psalm 5:12 kjv

For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12 nkjv

For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12 niv

Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12 esv

For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:12 nlt

For you bless the godly, O LORD;
you surround them with your shield of love.

Psalm 5 verses

Psalm 5 12 Meaning

Psalm 5:12 proclaims the unfailing character of God towards His faithful people. It states with certainty that the Lord Himself will bestow comprehensive blessings upon those who are righteous, affirming His approval and pleasure in them. This divine favor is presented as an active, encompassing presence, enveloping and protecting the righteous like a strong, impenetrable shield, thus ensuring their ultimate security and well-being from all adversarial forces and dangers. The verse provides assurance of God’s active and personal safeguard for His chosen ones.

Psalm 5 12 Context

Psalm 5 is a morning prayer of lament and petition, expressing David’s reliance on God amidst the schemes and deceit of his enemies. The psalm opens with David's plea for God to hear his cry (v. 1-2) and sets the expectation for divine intervention by speaking of God hearing his morning prayer (v. 3). The core of the psalm sharply contrasts God’s character, which abhors wickedness and deceit (v. 4-6), with the unrighteousness of David's adversaries. David seeks divine guidance to walk in God's righteousness (v. 8) and calls for judgment upon his enemies (v. 9-10) due to their rebellion against God. Against this backdrop of spiritual and external conflict, verse 12 emerges as a climactic declaration of unwavering trust and assurance. It affirms God’s certain blessing and protective favor upon the righteous, contrasting sharply with the doom awaiting the wicked, thus bringing the psalm to a confident close rooted in God’s faithful nature.

Word Analysis

• For You, O Lord (כִּי־אַתָּ֣ה יְ֭הוָה - kî-ʾattāh YHWH):

  • For (כִּי - kî): An emphatic particle, meaning "surely," "because," or "indeed." It establishes the basis for the psalmist's confidence and affirmation.
  • You (אַתָּ֣ה - ʾattāh): An emphatic second-person singular pronoun. It highlights God Himself as the exclusive agent of blessing and protection, underlining His direct involvement and authority.
  • O Lord (יְהוָה - YHWH): The personal, covenantal name of God. This signifies His faithful, immutable, and self-revealing character, grounding the promise in His covenant relationship with His people.

• will bless (תְּבָרֵ֣ךְ - tᵉvarek):

  • From the root ברך (barakh), meaning "to bless," "to bestow good upon," "to empower with prosperity." It conveys an active, intentional bestowal of well-being, life, and divine favor.

• the righteous (צַדִּ֑יק - tsaddiq):

  • Refers to one who is just, upright, vindicated, or walking in integrity according to God's divine standards. This isn't sinless perfection, but a heart posture and lifestyle seeking to conform to God's will and in right relationship with Him. It contrasts with the wicked mentioned earlier in the psalm.

• With favor (בִּרְצ֖וֹן - birᵉtsôn):

  • From רצון (ratson), meaning "good pleasure," "delight," "acceptance," or "favor." It denotes God’s willing and benevolent disposition towards the righteous, forming the very foundation for His blessings and protection. It's His affectionate approval.

• You will surround him (תַּעְטְרֶ֑נּוּ - ta’trenu):

  • From the verb עטר (atar), meaning "to crown," "to encompass," or "to encircle." The imagery here is of completely surrounding, enveloping, or even adorning. It suggests comprehensive and intimate coverage, not merely distant observation but active embrace.

• as with a shield (כַּצִּנָּֽה - kaṣṣinnāh):

  • as (כְּ - ka): A comparative preposition, drawing a simile.
  • a shield (צִנָּֽה - tsinnah): Refers to a large, often full-body, shield used for robust defense in battle. It symbolizes comprehensive and formidable protection, suggesting God’s ability to defend completely from all sides and dangers.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous": This phrase asserts God’s divine prerogative and characteristic action. It is a declaration of theological certainty, emphasizing that blessing is an inherent part of God's interaction with those devoted to Him, anchored in His covenant name (YHWH).
  • "With favor You will surround him as with a shield": This powerfully connects God’s disposition (favor) with His active protective presence. His divine goodwill is portrayed as a tangible, enveloping defense, ensuring total security. The simile of the large shield illustrates the impenetrable and all-encompassing nature of this divine safeguard.

Psalm 5 12 Commentary

Psalm 5:12 culminates the psalm’s expression of trust in God by highlighting His ultimate disposition towards the righteous. While David prayed for judgment upon the wicked (v. 10), here he pivots to God’s sure and gracious promise for the upright. The essence is that God, in His sovereign character as YHWH, delights in and proactively pours out good upon the righteous. This isn't a passive wish but an active commitment where His favorable attitude (ratson) becomes a dynamic, all-encompassing force, embracing the individual so thoroughly that it forms an unbreachable defensive barrier, like a robust battle shield. This spiritual "crowning" or surrounding with favor assures divine protection against all life’s adversities, ensuring ultimate peace and security for those who walk in God's ways.

Bonus Section

• The concept of God's "favor" (רצון - ratson) deeply resonates with the New Testament concept of "grace" (charis), emphasizing God's unsolicited kindness, benevolent disposition, and unmerited favor towards His people. This favor is the active outpouring of divine goodness and blessing.
• This verse provides a crucial counter-narrative to human anxieties that the righteous might be perpetually vulnerable or unrewarded. It affirms that, in contrast to the transient and ultimately doomed prosperity of the wicked, God Himself guarantees a blessed and secure future for His faithful.
• The "surrounding" imagery signifies not just protection from external threats, but an active, permeating presence with the righteous. It implies being enveloped in God’s goodwill, leading to inner peace and assurance even amidst outward conflict.