Psalm 140–142

Psalm 140

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹O Lord, rescue me from evil people.

Protect me from those who are violent,

²those who plot evil in their hearts

and stir up trouble all day long.

³Their tongues sting like a snake;

the venom of a viper drips from their lips.

Interlude

⁴O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.

Protect me from those who are violent,

for they are plotting against me.

⁵The proud have set a trap to catch me;

they have stretched out a net;

they have placed traps all along the way.

Interlude

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

Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!

⁷O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me,

you protected me on the day of battle.

⁸Lord, do not let evil people have their way.

Do not let their evil schemes succeed,

or they will become proud.

Interlude

⁹Let my enemies be destroyed

by the very evil they have planned for me.

¹⁰Let burning coals fall down on their heads.

Let them be thrown into the fire

or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.

¹¹Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.

Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.

¹²But I know the Lord will help those they persecute;

he will give justice to the poor.

¹³Surely righteous people are praising your name;

the godly will live in your presence.

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

¹O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry!

Listen when I cry to you for help!

²Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,

and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

³Take control of what I say, O Lord,

and guard my lips.

⁴Don’t let me drift toward evil

or take part in acts of wickedness.

Don’t let me share in the delicacies

of those who do wrong.

⁵Let the godly strike me!

It will be a kindness!

If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.

Don’t let me refuse it.

But I pray constantly

against the wicked and their deeds.

⁶When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,

the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.

⁷Like rocks brought up by a plow,

the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.

⁸I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord.

You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.

⁹Keep me from the traps they have set for me,

from the snares of those who do wrong.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

but let me escape.

Psalm 142

A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.

¹I cry out to the Lord;

I plead for the Lord’s mercy.

²I pour out my complaints before him

and tell him all my troubles.

³When I am overwhelmed,

you alone know the way I should turn.

Wherever I go,

my enemies have set traps for me.

⁴I look for someone to come and help me,

but no one gives me a passing thought!

No one will help me;

no one cares a bit what happens to me.

⁵Then I pray to you, O Lord.

I say, “You are my place of refuge.

You are all I really want in life.

⁶Hear my cry,

for I am very low.

Rescue me from my persecutors,

for they are too strong for me.

⁷Bring me out of prison

so I can thank you.

The godly will crowd around me,

for you are good to me.”