For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights God's absolute separation from sin, not just that He dislikes wickedness, but that it cannot even "sojourn" or be a guest in His presence. This isn't just about God being a judge, but about His very nature being incompatible with evil.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
David is pouring out his heart in prayer, feeling threatened by enemies who are acting wickedly. He's praying for God's help and protection, and this verse is the bedrock of his confidence: because God is inherently good and holy, He cannot possibly side with or tolerate the wicked. This truth about God's nature is the very reason David believes God will hear him and deliver him from those who oppose him.
When life feels unfair and wickedness seems to win, where do you turn? This verse reminds us that God's very nature is the ultimate reason for hope.
The Psalmist grounds his prayer in a fundamental truth about God: He is not a God who takes delight in wickedness. This isn't just about God disapproving of evil; it's deeper than that. His perfect holiness means He finds no pleasure, no satisfaction, and no fulfillment in anything evil or wicked. Think of it like light and darkness – they can't truly coexist or find joy in each other. God's essence is righteousness, and that's where His delight is found.
We often see wicked people seemingly prospering, which can be incredibly disheartening. This verse offers a powerful perspective on why that can't last.
The second part of the verse says, 'evil may not dwell with you.' This speaks to the absolute incompatibility of sin and God's presence. It doesn't just mean that evil people won't get to live in God's heavenly home. It means that wickedness, in its very nature, cannot 'reside' or find a lasting place with God. God's holiness is a consuming fire to evil. The wicked cannot share in God's intimate fellowship or receive His protection as a permanent guest. Their presence with Him is impossible, not because God is unwilling to forgive, but because sin itself creates separation and cannot abide in His pure presence.
Understand the original words
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resha · Hebrew Noun
Morally corrupt behavior, perversion, or injustice that stands in opposition to God’s holy character and moral law. It represents the active defiance of divine standards.
ra · Hebrew Noun
That which is morally bad, harmful, or malignant. It encompasses anything that contradicts God's nature and brings ruin to His creation.
holelim · Hebrew Noun
The state of having an arrogant, prideful, or insolent spirit. It describes those who exalt themselves against God and their neighbor.
sane · Hebrew Verb
A visceral, holy aversion to sin and sinners who refuse to repent. It expresses God’s absolute moral purity and His rejection of everything that opposes His holiness.
poale aven · Hebrew Noun/Adjective phrase
Individuals who consistently perform morally wrong or harmful deeds. They are defined by their lifestyle of defiance against God's commands.
This passage powerfully echoes the sentiment that God's holiness makes evil impossible to dwell with Him, describing the terror wicked people will face in His presence.
Psalm 15:1-5This psalm directly addresses who is 'a guest' in God's 'sanctuary,' outlining righteous qualities that stand in stark contrast to the 'evil' that cannot 'dwell with' God.
Proverbs 6:16-19This passage lists 'six things that the LORD hates; seven that are an abomination to him,' showing the kinds of wickedness that are fundamentally opposed to God's nature, aligning with the Psalmist's assertion.
1 John 1:5-7This New Testament passage directly states that 'God is light, and in him is no darkness at all,' reinforcing the absolute incompatibility of God with wickedness.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-9This passage speaks of God's righteous judgment against those who cause trouble for believers, highlighting that He will 'repay trouble to those who trouble you' because it is just, based on His opposition to wickedness.
calvinPsalms 5:4-6: "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee."
- For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; [71] evil shall not dwell Smith thee. 5. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight; thou hatest all that commit iniquity. 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak falsehood; Jehovah will abhor the blood-thirsty [72] and deceitful man.
Here David makes the malice and wickedness of his enemies an argument to enforce his prayer for th…
cambridgePsalms 5:4: "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee."
4 . a God ] El , not Elohim . If the fundamental idea of this name for God is that of power [3], its use here is significant. Power without goodness is the fetishistic conception of deity, to which human nature is prone ( Psalm 50:21 ). [3] Attractive but questionable is Lagarde’s explanation of the name El as ‘the Being to Whom man turns,’ the aim and end of all human longing and effort.…
This verse highlights God's absolute separation from sin, not just that He dislikes wickedness, but that it cannot even "sojourn" or be a guest in His presence. This isn't just about God being a judge, but about His very nature being incompatible with evil.
David is pouring out his heart in prayer, feeling threatened by enemies who are acting wickedly. He's praying for God's help and protection, and this verse is the bedrock of his confidence: because God is inherently good and holy, He cannot possibly side with or tolerate the wicked. This truth about God's nature is the very reason David believes God will hear him and deliver him from those who oppose him.
David is pouring out his heart in prayer, feeling threatened by enemies who are acting wickedly. He's praying for God's help and protection, and this verse is the bedrock of his confidence: because God is inherently good and holy, He cannot possibly side with or tolerate the wicked. This truth about God's nature is the very reason David believes God will hear him and deliver him from those who oppose him.
"For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers." — This verse highlights God's absolute separation from sin, not just that He dislikes wickedness, but that it cannot even "sojourn" or be a guest in His presence. This isn't just about God being a judg…
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Last reviewed October 2026