Psalms 5:6
You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say God hates liars; it specifies how He feels about those who shed blood and are deceitful – He utterly abhors them. This isn't just dislike; it's a deep, visceral revulsion indicating a complete and utter opposition to their very nature.
David is praying for protection from his enemies, whom he describes as liars and deceitful schemers. He's pleading with God to hear his cry and not be like the wicked who God detests. This prayer is rooted in David's confidence in God's righteous nature – that God hates evil and will ultimately judge those who practice it.
Ever feel like the world rewards smooth talkers and manipulators? David felt that too. In this verse, he reveals that God’s view is radically different.
The Weight of Words
David calls out those who "speak lies" or "leasing." This isn't just about minor fibs; it's about intentional deception, slander, and twisting truth. The original Hebrew word can carry the sense of "deceitfulness" or "falsehood." In David's context, it points to enemies who used lies to undermine him and God's rule.
God's Ultimate Justice
The verse declares God will "destroy" them. This isn't a passive disapproval; it’s an active judgment. God’s justice will dismantle the schemes built on deceit. It's a powerful reminder that while lies might gain temporary traction, they face ultimate demolition by the God of truth.
The Bible doesn't shy away from strong language about God's feelings. Here, David describes a specific kind of person that earns God's utter disgust.
More Than Just Anger
The word "abhor" is incredibly strong. It signifies intense disgust and loathing. God doesn't just dislike the "bloodthirsty and deceitful man"; He is repulsed by him. This isn't a gentle disapproval; it's a holy revulsion.
The Man of Bloods
The phrase "man of bloods" in the original language speaks of someone deeply steeped in violence and bloodshed. It’s not just a single act but a character defined by a thirst for it. This connects with deceit because violence and lies often go hand-in-hand – lies are used to justify or cover up violent deeds.
A Reflection of God's Nature
This abhorrence stems from God's perfect righteousness. He is the source of all life, and He hates its willful destruction and the deceit that fuels it. For David, knowing God abhorred his enemies was a source of comfort and a reason to trust in God’s eventual justice.
Understand the original words
kazab · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the act of lying or speaking falsehoods. Biblically, it signifies a deviation from truth and honesty, which is fundamentally contrary to God's nature and character.
ta'ab · Hebrew Verb
An intense, active hatred or detestation. It describes God’s holy and righteous reaction against evil, emphasizing His absolute moral opposition to wickedness.
The historical context of intense civil strife, like Absalom's rebellion, illuminates David's desperate plea. He saw his enemies not just as political opponents, but as profoundly deceitful and bloodthirsty individuals whose actions were abhorrent to God's very nature.
c. 1025 BC
Saul's Reign and David's Persecution
David is a fugitive, hiding from King Saul who seeks to kill him due to jealousy and paranoia. This period is marked by deceitful plots and bloodshed.
c. 1015 BC
David's Rise to Kingship
After Saul's death, David eventually becomes King of Judah and then King of all Israel, bringing a period of relative stability but still facing opposition.
c. 1005 BC— this verse
Absalom's Rebellion
David's own son, Absalom, leads a widespread rebellion against him, fueled by deceitful counsel and aiming to seize the throne, leading to civil war.
c. 1005 BC
Ahithophel's Treachery
Ahithophel, a trusted counselor of David, defects to Absalom's side and advises him, with his counsel being highly strategic and often deceitful, aiming for David's complete destruction.
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…
clarkePsalms 5:6: "Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man."
That speak leasing - Falsity, from the Anglo-Saxon leasunge, a lie, falsity, deceit; from leas, lie, which is from the verb leasian to lie. See on Psalm 4:2 (note). The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man - איש דמים ish damim, the man of bloods; for he who has the spirit of a murderer, will rarely end with one bloodshedding. So the Jews, who clamored for the blood of our Lord, a…
The verse doesn't just say God hates liars; it specifies how He feels about those who shed blood and are deceitful – He utterly abhors them. This isn't just dislike; it's a deep, visceral revulsion indicating a complete and utter opposition to their very nature.
David is praying for protection from his enemies, whom he describes as liars and deceitful schemers. He's pleading with God to hear his cry and not be like the wicked who God detests. This prayer is rooted in David's confidence in God's righteous nature – that God hates evil and will ultimately judge those who practice it.
David is praying for protection from his enemies, whom he describes as liars and deceitful schemers. He's pleading with God to hear his cry and not be like the wicked who God detests. This prayer is rooted in David's confidence in God's righteous nature – that God hates evil and will ultimately judge those who practice it.
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c. 1005 BC
David's Flight from Jerusalem
David is forced to flee Jerusalem as Absalom's forces advance, leaving the city in the hands of his enemies who spread lies and pursue him with violent intent.
c. 1005 BC
The Battle of Ephraim's Wood
David's forces, led by Joab, defeat Absalom's rebellion in a decisive battle, though the victory is costly. Absalom is killed, and Ahithophel's counsel proves ultimately ineffective.
"You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." — The verse doesn't just say God hates liars; it specifies how He feels about those who shed blood and are deceitful – He utterly abhors them. This isn't just dislike; it's a deep, visceral revulsi…
