Psalm 5:9 describes people whose speech cannot be trusted, because their words sound pleasant while their hearts are set on harm. The verse is a complaint, not a teaching for everyone at once. David, who wrote this psalm, is speaking to God about enemies who smile to his face and plot his ruin behind his back, and he asks the Lord to deal with them and to guide him safely.
For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
Psalm 5:9 (WEB)
What Psalm 5:9 Means
The verse begins by saying that the enemies’ mouths hold no faithfulness. Their words cannot be relied on to match what they actually intend. The next line says their heart is destruction, meaning the inner motive is aimed at ruin rather than good. The third image is a throat like an open grave, which pictures speech that spreads death and deceit, the way a grave gives off a bad smell and swallows whatever is put into it. The last line says they flatter with their tongue, which means they use smooth, agreeable words to disguise what they are really doing.
The verse describes character and does not promise anything about how quickly or how completely these people will be exposed. It does not say that every flattering person is an enemy, and it does not give you permission to assume the worst about everyone who speaks kindly. What it does is name a real pattern of hypocrisy and trust that God sees clearly, and it lets David bring his grief about that pattern straight to God in prayer.
The Context of Psalm 5:9
Psalm 5 is a morning prayer in the book of Psalms, traditionally attributed to David. He wrote it for a worshiping community and for himself, and the psalm moves from an early plea for God to listen, through a description of his enemies, into a confident note of trust. The audience is the Lord, but the psalm was sung and prayed by people who also faced false friends, so its words carry well beyond David’s own situation.
The verses around Psalm 5:9 matter a great deal. Just before it, in verse 6, the psalmist says God will destroy those who speak lies, which shows that the verse is a statement about where the enemies are heading. Just after it, David turns to God and asks to be led in righteousness, and he ends with the promise that God blesses the righteous and surrounds them with favor. Read this way, verse 9 is one part of a prayer that moves from accusation toward God’s justice and protection, which is why it should not be read as a bitter rant.
Key Phrases in Psalm 5:9
Proverbs 26:24-26
24 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart. 25 When his speech is charming, don’t believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26 His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
(WEB)
This passage describes the enemy who disguises hatred with his lips and harbors deceit within. It develops the same theme as Psalm 5:9, showing how a smooth tongue can conceal a malicious heart, and it warns that the deception will eventually be exposed.
Psalm 12:2
Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
(WEB)
This verse, from another psalm of lament, describes people who speak falsely to one another with flattering lips and a double heart. It echoes the complaint of Psalm 5:9 and shows that the problem of deceptive speech was a recurring concern for the psalmists who prayed to God for relief.
A Short Prayer From Psalm 5:9
Lord, you see the hearts of people more clearly than I ever can. When I am surrounded by words that sound kind but feel false, help me to tell the difference, and do not let me become cynical toward everyone. Guard my own tongue so that my words are faithful and my heart is set on what is good. Lead me in your righteousness and make my way straight, especially when I am tempted to deceive or to flatter. Hold me close as I trust you to deal with what I cannot fix. Amen.
