Psalm 140–142

Psalm 140

Prayer for Rescue

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

¹Rescue me, Lord, from evil men.

Keep me safe from violent men ^a

²who plan evil in their hearts.

They stir up wars all day long. ^b

³They make their tongues

as sharp as a snake’s bite;

viper’s venom is under their lips. ^cSelah

⁴Protect me, Lord,

from the clutches of the wicked. ^d

Keep me safe from violent men

who plan to make me stumble. ^ef

⁵The proud hide a trap with ropes for me;

they spread a net along the path

and set snares for me. ^gSelah

⁶I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”

Listen, Lord, to my cry for help. ^h

⁷Lord God, my strong Savior,

You shield my head on the day of battle. ⁱ

⁸Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked;

do not let them achieve their goals.

Otherwise, they will become proud. ^jSelah

⁹When those who surround me rise up, ^k

may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them. ^l

¹⁰Let hot coals fall on them.

Let them be thrown into the fire,

into the abyss, never again to rise. ^m

¹¹Do not let a slanderer stay in the land.

Let evil relentlessly ⁿhunt down a violent man. ^o

¹²I ^pknow that the Lord upholds

the just cause of the poor,

justice for the needy. ^q

¹³Surely the righteous will praise Your name;

the upright will live in Your presence. ^r

Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A Davidic psalm.

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

Listen to my voice when I call on You. ^s

²May my prayer be set before You as incense, ^t

the raising of my hands as the evening offering. ^u

³Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips. ^v

⁴Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing

or perform wicked acts

with men who commit sin.

Do not let me feast on their delicacies. ^w

⁵Let the righteous one strike me—

it is an act of faithful love;

let him rebuke me—

it is oil for my head;

let me ^xnot refuse it. ^y

Even now my prayer is against

the evil acts of the wicked. ^za

⁶When their rulers ^bwill be thrown off

the sides of a cliff,

the people ^cwill listen to my words,

for they are pleasing. ^d

⁷As when one plows and breaks up the soil,

turning up rocks,

so our ^ebones have been scattered

at the mouth of Sheol. ^f

⁸But my eyes look to You, Lord God.

I seek refuge in You; do not let me die. ^gh

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

and from the snares of evildoers. ^j

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely. ^k

Psalm 142

A Cry of Distress

A Davidic Maskil. When he was in the cave. ^lA prayer.

¹I cry aloud to the Lord; ^m

I plead aloud to the Lord for mercy. ⁿ

²I pour out my complaint before Him;

I reveal my trouble to Him. ^o

³Although my spirit is weak within me,

You know my way. ^p

Along this path I travel

they have hidden a trap for me. ^q

⁴Look to the right and see: ^r

no one stands up for me;

there is no refuge for me;

no one cares about me. ^s

⁵I cry to You, Lord;

I say, “You are my shelter,

my portion in the land of the living.” ^t

⁶Listen to my cry,

for I am very weak. ^u

Rescue me from those who pursue me,

for they are too strong for me. ^v

⁷Free me from prison

so that I can praise Your name.

The righteous will gather around me

because You deal generously with me. ^w