Psalm 141–145

Psalm 141

PROTECTION FROM SIN AND SINNERS

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, I call on you; hurry to help me.

Listen to my voice when I call on you.q

2 May my prayer be set before you as incense,r

the raising of my hands as the evening offering.s

3 Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips.t

4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing

or perform wicked acts with evildoers.

Do not let me feast on their delicacies.u

5 Let the righteous one strike me—

it is an act of faithful love;

let him rebuke me—

it is oil for my head;

let meD not refuse it.v

Even now my prayer is against

the evil acts of the wicked.E,w

6 When their rulersF will be thrown off

the sides of a cliff,

the peopleG will listen to my words,

for they are pleasing.x

7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil,

turning up rocks,

so ourH bones have been scattered

at the mouth of Sheol.y

8 But my eyes look to you, Lord, my Lord.

I seek refuge in you; do not let me die.I,z

9 Protect me from the trap they have set for me,

and from the snares of evildoers.aa

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely.ab

Psalm 142

A CRY OF DISTRESS

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave.ac A prayer.

1 I cry aloud to the Lord;ad

I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy.ae

2 I pour out my complaint before him;

I reveal my trouble to him.af

3 Although my spirit is weak within me,

you know my way.a

Along this path I travel

they have hidden a trap for me.b

4 Look to the right and see:A

no one stands up for me;

there is no refuge for me;

no one cares about me.c

5 I cry to you, Lord;

I say, “You are my shelter,

my portion in the land of the living.”d

6 Listen to my cry,

for I am very weak.e

Rescue me from those who pursue me,

for they are too strong for me.f

7 Free me from prison

so that I can praise your name.

The righteous will gather around me

because you deal generously with me.g

Psalm 143

A CRY FOR HELP

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, hear my prayer.

In your faithfulness listen to my plea,

and in your righteousness answer me.h

2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,i

for no one alive is righteous in your sight.j

3 For the enemy has pursued me,

crushing me to the ground,

making me live in darkness

like those long dead.k

4 My spirit is weak within me;

my heart is overcome with dismay.l

5 I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all you have done;

I reflect on the work of your hands.m

6 I spread out my hands to you;

I am like parched land before you.n

Selah

7 Answer me quickly, Lord;

my spirit fails.o

Don’t hide your face from me,

or I will be like those

going down to the Pit.p

8 Let me experience

your faithful love in the morning,

for I trust in you.q

Reveal to me the way I should go

because I appeal to you.r

9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;

I come to you for protection.B,s

10 Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God.t

May your gracious Spirit

lead me on level ground.u

11 For your name’s sake, Lord,

let me live.

In your righteousness deliver me from trouble,v

12 and in your faithful love destroy my enemies.

Wipe out all those who attack me,

for I am your servant.w

Psalm 144

A KING’S PRAYER

Of David.

1 Blessed be the Lord, my rockx

who trains my hands for battle

and my fingers for warfare.y

2 He is my faithful love and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer.

He is my shield,z and I take refuge in him;aa

he subdues my people* under me.ab

3 Lord, what is a human that you care for him,

a son of manB that you think of him?ac

4 A human is like a breath;

his days are like a passing shadow.ad

5 Lord, part your heavens and come down.ae

Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.af

6 Flash your lightning and scatter the foe;C

shoot your arrows and rout them.ag

7 Reach downD from on high;ah

rescue me from deep water, and set me free

from the grasp of foreignersai

8 whose mouths speak lies,

whose right hands are deceptive.a

9 God, I will sing a new song to you;

I will play on a ten-stringed harp for youb—

10 the one who gives victory to kings,

who frees his servant David

from the deadly sword.c

11 Set me free and rescue me

from foreignersd

whose mouths speak lies,

whose right hands are deceptive.e

12 Then our sons will be like plants

nurtured in their youth,

our daughters, like corner pillars

that are carved in the palace style.f

13 Our storehouses will be full,

supplying all kinds of produce;g

our flocks will increase by thousands

and tens of thousands in our open fields.h

14 Our cattle will be well fed.E

There will be no breach in the walls,

no going into captivity,F

and no cry of lament in our public squares.i

15 Happy are the people with such blessings.

Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.j

Psalm 145

PRAISING GOD’S GREATNESS

A hymn of David.

1 IA exalt you, my God the King,

and bless your name forever and ever.k

2 I will bless you every day;

I will praise your name forever and ever.i

3 The Lord is great and is highly praised;m

his greatness is unsearchable.n

4 One generation will declare your works to the next

and will proclaim your mighty acts.o

5 IB will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty

andC your wondrous works.p

6 They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts,

and I will declare your greatness.D,q

7 They will give a testimony of your great goodness

and will joyfully sing of your righteousness.r

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and great in faithful love.s

9 The Lord is good to everyone;t

his compassion rests on all he has made.u

10 All you have made will thank you, Lord;

theE faithful will bless you.v

11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom

and will declare your might,w

12 informing all people of your mighty acts

and of the glorious splendor of yourF kingdom.x

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;

your rule is for all generations.y

The Lord is faithful in all his words

and gracious in all his actions.G,z

14 The Lord helps all who fall;

he raises up all who are oppressed.H,aa

15 All eyes look to you,

and you give them their food at the proper time.ab

16 You open your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.ac

17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and faithful in all his acts.ad

18 The Lord is near all who call out to him,

all who call out to him with integrity.ae

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry for help and saves them.af

20 The Lord guards all those who love him,

but he destroys all the wicked.ag

21 My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise;

let every living thing

bless his holy name forever and ever.a