Psalm 140:1–143:12

1 Rescue me,v Lord, from evildoers;

protect me from the violent,w

2 who devise evil plansx in their hearts

and stir up wary every day.

3 They make their tongues as sharp asz a serpent’s;

the poison of vipersa is on their lips.b

4 Keep me safe,b Lord, from the hands of the wicked;c

protect me from the violent,

who devise ways to trip my feet.

5 The arrogant have hidden a snared for me;

they have spread out the cords of their nete

and have set trapsf for me along my path.

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

Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.h

7 Sovereign Lord,i my strong deliverer,

you shield my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant the wickedj their desires, Lord;

do not let their plans succeed.

9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;

may the mischief of their lips engulf them.k

10 May burning coals fall on them;

may they be thrown into the fire,l

into miry pits, never to rise.

11 May slanderers not be established in the land;

may disaster hunt down the violent.m

12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poorn

and upholds the causeo of the needy.p

13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,q

and the upright will liver in your presence.s

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

1 I call to you, Lord, come quicklyt to me;

hear meu when I call to you.

2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;v

may the lifting up of my handsw be like the evening sacrifice.x

3 Set a guard over my mouth,y Lord;

keep watch over the door of my lips.z

4 Do not let my hearta be drawn to what is evil

so that I take part in wicked deedsb

along with those who are evildoers;

do not let me eat their delicacies.c

5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;

let him rebuke med—that is oil on my head.e

My head will not refuse it,

for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,f

and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.

7 They will say, “As one plowsg and breaks up the earth,h

so our bones have been scattered at the mouthi of the grave.”

8 But my eyes are fixedj on you, Sovereign Lord;

in you I take refugek—do not give me over to death.

9 Keep me safel from the traps set by evildoers,m

from the snaresn they have laid for me.

10 Let the wicked fallo into their own nets,

while I pass by in safety.p

Psalm 142a

A maskilb of David. When he was in the cave.q A prayer.

1 I cry aloudr to the Lord;

I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.s

2 I pour out before him my complaint;t

before him I tell my trouble.u

3 When my spirit grows faintv within me,

it is you who watch over my way.

In the path where I walk

people have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;

no one is concerned for me.

I have no refuge;w

no one caresx for my life.

5 I cry to you, Lord;

I say, “You are my refuge,y

my portionz in the land of the living.”a

6 Listen to my cry,b

for I am in desperate need;c

rescue med from those who pursue me,

for they are too stronge for me.

7 Set me free from my prison,f

that I may praise your name.g

Then the righteous will gather about me

because of your goodness to me.h

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

1 Lord, hear my prayer,i

listen to my cry for mercy;j

in your faithfulnessk and righteousnessl

come to my relief.

2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,

for no one living is righteousm before you.

3 The enemy pursues me,

he crushes me to the ground;

he makes me dwell in the darknessn

like those long dead.o

4 So my spirit grows faint within me;

my heart within me is dismayed.p

5 I rememberq the days of long ago;

I meditater on all your works

and consider what your hands have done.

6 I spread out my handss to you;

I thirst for you like a parched land.a

7 Answer me quickly,t Lord;

my spirit fails.u

Do not hide your facev from me

or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,w

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the wayx I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.y

9 Rescue mez from my enemies,a Lord,

for I hide myself in you.

10 Teach meb to do your will,

for you are my God;c

may your good Spirit

leadd me on level ground.e

11 For your name’s sake,f Lord, preserve my life;g

in your righteousness,h bring me out of trouble.

12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;i

destroy all my foes,j

for I am your servant.k