What Does Psalm 5:12 Mean in the King James?
For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The LORD’s favor becomes a shield that crowns and encloses the person aligned with him.
THE MEANING
The LORD blesses the person aligned with what is right, and his favor circles them like a shield. Protection takes the form of an encompassing presence.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that favor is only approval without protection: here, favor itself forms the shield-like boundary.
THE ROOT
תְּעַטְּרֶנּוּ
te'aterennu
GROWS FROM
עטר
to encircle or crown
The verb translated “compass” also carries the sense of crowning. The image joins protection with being encircled, as though favor forms both a boundary and a crown around the person.
ALSO GROWS
atar: to encircle or crown
עָטַר
The verb holds the verse’s two images together: favor surrounds and crowns.
atarah: crown or wreath
עֲטָרָה
A crown encircles the head, echoing the way favor surrounds the person.
רָצוֹן
ratson
GROWS FROM
רצה
to be pleased with, accept, or show favor
The word translated “favour” carries the sense of acceptance and pleasure. The shield-like enclosure is made of the LORD’s accepting favor, and the same word appears where life is “in his favour” in Psalm 30:5.
ALSO GROWS
ratsah: to be pleased with or accept
רָצָה
This verb shows the acceptance within the favor that surrounds the person.
ratzui: accepted or favored
רָצוּי
This related form names the state of being received with favor.
צַדִּיק
tsaddiq
GROWS FROM
צדק
to be right, just, or in alignment
“righteous” in this verse is tsaddiq. The word names a person through the language of alignment and rightness. The verse pairs that orientation with the LORD’s encircling favor.
ALSO GROWS
tsedeq: rightness, justice, alignment
צֶדֶק
It reveals the quality named in “righteous” as a way of being aligned with what is right.
tsedaqah: justice, right action, or charitable justice
צְדָקָה
This branch carries alignment into action, connecting the person’s description with lived rightness.
THE PATTERN
The LORD’s favor and protection take the shape of a boundary around the person they shelter.
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.THE THREAD
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.Psalm 30 uses the same Hebrew word, ratson (רָצוֹן), rendered “favour” here and there. In that verse, life is found within this favor; Psalm 5 gives the same favor a protective shape, enclosing the person like a shield.
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