Psalms 5:10Hold them guilty, God. Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against you.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~1000 BC. David refuses to take personal revenge but asks God to act as judge. Modern Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: furious but choosing to surrender control to God
The original word
asham (אָשַׁם) — to bear guilt, be held accountable for consequences
Why it matters
In ancient Israel, calling on God's judgment was considered more serious than personal revenge
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 5:10
David isn't being vindictive - he's surrendering his right to revenge and asking God to be the judge
Common misconceptionPeople think this is un-Christian anger, but David is actually demonstrating restraint by asking God to judge instead of taking matters into his own hands.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 5:10
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 5:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 5:10 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine justice, judgment, rebellion. Notable phrases: Hold them guilty; let them fall; thrust them out. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Psalms 5:10 mean to you, today?
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