Psalm 140–141

Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies

140For the music director. A psalm of David.^a

¹Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.^b

Preserve me from violent men,

²who plan evil things in their heart.

They stir up wars continually.

³They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;

the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah

⁴Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.

Preserve me from violent men,

who have planned to make me stumble.^c

⁵The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.

They have spread out a net along the side^d of the path.

They have set snares for me. Selah

⁶I say to Yahweh, “You are my God.”

Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.

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

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.

Do not allow them to attain their^e plan, lest they be exalted. Selah

⁹With respect to the head of those who surround me,

may the harm of their lips cover them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall on them;

let them be dropped into the fire,

into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.

¹¹Do not let a slanderer^f be established in the land;

as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.

¹²I know^g that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,

and justice for the needy.

¹³Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;

the upright will dwell in your presence.

Prayer for God’s Help in Maintaining Integrity

141A psalm of David.^a

¹I call on you, O Yahweh; hasten to me.

Listen to my voice when I call to you.

²Let my prayer be set before you as incense,

the lifting up of my palms as the evening offering.

³Set a guard, O Yahweh, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips.

⁴Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,

to practice wicked deeds

with men who do iniquity;

and do not let me eat of their delicacies.

⁵Let a righteous one strike me in kindness,

and let him chasten me.

It is oil for my head;^b let not my head refuse.

For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.

⁶When their judges are thrown down the sides of a cliff,^c

then they will understand that my words were pleasant.

⁷As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

⁸But^d my eyes are toward you, O Yahweh, my Lord;

I have taken refuge in you. Do not lay bare my soul.^e

⁹Protect me from the grasp^f of the trap they have laid for me,

and from the snares of evildoers.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their^g nets,

while I escape altogether.