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Psalm 5:10
Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you.
8Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies. Make your way straight before my face.
9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
10Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels. Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all those who take refuge in you rejoice. Let them always shout for joy, because you defend them. Let them also who love your name be joyful in you.
12For you will bless the righteous. LORD, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.
Notice
“Hold them guilty, God” is a severe plea for judgment against deceitful enemies, confronting you with a prayer that asks God to punish rebellion against him.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What troubles you, or seems right to you, about asking God to “Hold them guilty”?
Write on thisWhat difference does “for they have rebelled against you” make to the grounds of this prayer?
Write on thisHow might the request for guidance in verse 8 shape your reading of this plea for judgment?
Write on thisConnect
Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Isaiah 63:10But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. Therefore he turned and became their enemy, and he himself fought against them.Both texts name rebellion against God as the reason for his opposition to those who rebel.
2 Samuel 17:14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to defeat the …The psalm asks that enemies fall through their counsel; Samuel describes God defeating Ahithophel’s counsel to bring disaster on Absalom.
Psalm 140:9–10As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.Both prayers ask that enemies suffer through their own wrongdoing, whether their counsels or the mischief of their lips.
2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and …Counsel and downfall connect these passages, though Ahithophel dies after his counsel is rejected, rather than through its execution.
1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.”Both passages describe human scheming failing before God, through enemies’ own counsels or the wise being caught in their craftiness.
2 Samuel 15:31Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”Both prayers ask God to defeat hostile counsel, with David naming Ahithophel’s involvement in Absalom’s conspiracy in Samuel.
Psalm 71:13Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.Both prayers seek judgment against enemies, asking for their downfall rather than merely describing the harm they threaten.
Psalm 31:18Let the lying lips be mute, which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.Psalm 5’s surrounding lines describe deceitful enemies; Psalm 31 asks that lying lips speaking against the righteous be silenced.
Ezra 6:12May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter this, to destroy this house of God which …Both appeal to God to overthrow opponents whose actions oppose him, with Ezra naming threats against God’s house in Jerusalem.
Psalm 35:1–8By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.Both prayers ask God to act against the speaker’s enemies, through judgment in Psalm 5 and combat language in Psalm 35.
Romans 3:19–20Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under …Both texts concern accountability before God’s judgment, though Psalm 5 names enemies and Romans speaks of the whole world.
Hosea 9:7The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, …Both link judgment with abundant sins, naming rebellion in the psalm and great hostility in Hosea.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. work conflict. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
There is room in prayer to ask God to judge destructive deceit. David asks for his enemies’ downfall while seeking God’s guidance for himself; judgment belongs to God.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).