Psalms 5:12

Certainly ¹  you reward ²  the godly, ³  Lord. Like a shield you protect ⁴  them ⁵  in your good favor. ⁶ 

Ps 1:1-3; Ps 3:3; Ps 3:8; Ps 29:11; Ps 32:10; Ps 84:11; Ps 112:1; Ps 115:13

¹ tn Or “For.”

² tn Or “bless.” The imperfect verbal forms here and in the next line highlight how God characteristically rewards and protects the godly.

³ tn Or “innocent.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense.

⁴ tn Heb “surround.” In 1 Sam 23:26 the verb describes how Saul and his men hemmed David in as they chased him.

⁵ tn Heb “him.” The singular form is used here in a collective or representative sense and is thus translated “them.”

⁶ tn Or “with favor” (cf. NRSV). There is no preposition before the noun in the Hebrew text, nor is there a pronoun attached. “Favor” here stands by metonymy for God’s defensive actions on behalf of the one whom he finds acceptable.