1 O Lord, aYou have searched me and known me.

2 bYou know my sitting down and my rising up;

You cunderstand my thought afar off.

3 dYou 1comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, eYou know it altogether.

5 You have 2hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 fSuch knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 gWhere can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 hIf I ascend into heaven, You are there;

iIf I make my bed in 3hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall 4fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, jthe darkness 5shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You 6covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for 7I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 kMy 8frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 lHow precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would mslay the wicked, O God!

nDepart from me, therefore, you 9bloodthirsty men.

20 For they ospeak against You wickedly;

1Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 pDo I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with 2perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 qSearch me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And rlead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 140

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

Preserve me from violent men,

2 Who plan evil things in their hearts;

aThey continually gather together for war.

3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;

The bpoison of asps is under their lips.

Selah

4 cKeep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

Preserve me from violent men,

Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

5 The proud have hidden a dsnare for me, and cords;

They have spread a net by the wayside;

They have set traps for me.

Selah

6 I said to the Lord: “You are my God;

Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,

You have 1covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

Do not further his wicked scheme,

eLest they be exalted.

Selah

9 “As for the head of those who surround me,

Let the evil of their lips cover them;

10 fLet burning coals fall upon them;

Let them be cast into the fire,

Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;

Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

12 I know that the Lord will gmaintain

The cause of the afflicted,

And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;

The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

Psalm 141

Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness

A Psalm of David.

1 Lord, I cry out to You;

Make haste to me!

Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.

2 Let my prayer be set before You aas incense,

bThe lifting up of my hands as cthe evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my dmouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

To practice wicked works

With men who work iniquity;

eAnd do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 fLet the righteous strike me;

It shall be a kindness.

And let him rebuke me;

It shall be as excellent oil;

Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the 1cliff,

And they hear my words, for they are sweet.

7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,

As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

8 But gmy eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;

In You I take refuge;

2Do not leave my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from hthe snares they have laid for me,

And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10 iLet the wicked fall into their own nets,

While I escape safely.