Psalm 140

Psalm 140

For the choir leader; a psalm by David. 

¹Rescue me from evil people, O Lord. 

Keep me safe from violent people. 

²They plan evil things in their hearts. 

They start fights every day. 

³They make their tongues as sharp as a snake’s ⸤fang⸥. 

Their lips hide the venom of poisonous snakes. 

Selah 

⁴Protect me from the hands of wicked people, O Lord. 

Keep me safe from violent people. 

They try to trip me. 

⁵Arrogant people have laid a trap for me. 

They have spread out a net with ropes. 

They have set traps for me along the road. 

Selah 

⁶I said to the Lord, “You are my God.” 

O Lord, open your ears to hear my plea for pity. 

⁷O Lord Almighty, the strong one who saves me, 

you have covered my head in the day of battle. 

⁸O Lord, do not give wicked people what they want. 

Do not let their evil plans succeed, 

⸤or⸥ they will become arrogant. 

Selah 

⁹Let the heads of those who surround me 

be covered with their own threats. 

¹⁰Let burning coals fall on them. 

Let them be thrown into a pit, never to rise again. 

¹¹Do not let slanderers prosper on earth. 

Let evil hunt down violent people with one blow after another. 

¹²I know that the Lord will defend the rights of those who are oppressed 

and the cause of those who are needy. 

¹³Indeed, righteous people will give thanks to your name. 

Decent people will live in your presence.