Psalm 140

A Prayer for Protection

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

140Lord, rescue me from evil people;

protect me from cruel people

²who make evil plans,

who always start fights.

³They make their tongues sharp as a snake’s;

their words are like snake poison.

Selah

⁴Lord, guard me from the power of wicked people;

protect me from cruel people

who plan to trip me up.

⁵The proud hid a trap for me.

They spread out a net beside the road;

they set traps for me.

Selah

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

Lord, listen to my prayer for help.

⁷Lord God, my mighty savior,

you protect me in battle.

⁸Lord, do not give the wicked what they want.

Don’t let their plans succeed,

or they will become proud.

Selah

⁹Those around me have planned trouble.

Now let it come to them.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall on them.

Throw them into the fire

or into pits from which they cannot escape.

¹¹Don’t let liars settle in the land.

Let evil quickly hunt down cruel people.

¹²I know the Lord will get justice for the poor

and will defend the needy in court.

¹³Good people will praise his name;

honest people will live in his presence.