Bible Strands
Psalms 5:1
For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses Yahweh in a moment of distress, asking Him to attend to his words and his groaning. The superscript marks it as a liturgical piece for flutes, and verse 2 identifies the addressee as both King and God.
The words — הֲגִֽיגִי (haggigi, H1901) comes from הָגָה (hagah), "to murmur, groan" — a low, internal sound rather than a loud cry. The verb בּוּן (bun, H995) behind "consider" carries the sense of discerning or perceiving, not merely hearing.
The thread — The petition for God to hear the words of the one who prays recurs in Psalms 54:2 and 19:14, and 1 John 5:14 states the confidence that God hears those who ask according to His will.
Why it lands — The verse presents prayer not as polished rhetoric but as groaning, and it asks the reader to bring that same unrefined distress to God without apology.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.
Cross-references
- 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Psalms 54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.
- Psalms 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
- Psalms 55:1 For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Listen to my prayer, O God, and do not ignore my plea.
- 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.”
- Psalms 64:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Hear, O God, my voice of complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
- Psalms 17:1 A prayer of David. Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer—it comes from lips free of deceit.
- Psalms 86:1 A prayer of David. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
- Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
- 1 Samuel 1:16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman, for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”