Psalm 140-142

English Standard Version

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

140 ^(A)Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
    preserve me from ^(B)violent men,
²who plan evil things in their heart
    and ^(C)stir up wars continually.
³They make ^(D)their tongue sharp as ^(E)a serpent's,
    and ^(F)under their lips is the ^(G)venom of asps. Selah

⁴Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    preserve me from ^(H)violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
⁵The arrogant have ^(I)hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread ^(J)a net;^[a]
    beside the way they have set ^(K)snares for me. Selah

⁶^(L)I say to the Lord, You are my God;
    give ear to ^(M)the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
⁷O Lord, my Lord, ^(N)the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸^(O)Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their^[b] evil plot, or ^(P)they will be exalted! Selah

⁹As for the head of those who surround me,
    let ^(Q)the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰Let ^(R)burning coals fall upon them!
    Let them be cast into fire,
    into miry pits, no more to rise!
¹¹Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
    let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

¹²I know that the Lord will ^(S)maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and ^(T)will execute justice for the needy.
¹³Surely ^(U)the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
^(V)the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I call upon you; ^(W)hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
²Let ^(X)my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and ^(Y)the lifting up of my hands as ^(Z)the evening sacrifice!

³^(AA)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    ^(AB)keep watch over the door of my lips!
⁴^(AC)Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who ^(AD)work iniquity,
    and ^(AE)let me not eat of their delicacies!

⁵^(AF)Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet ^(AG)my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
⁶When their judges are ^(AH)thrown over the cliff,^[c]
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
⁷As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones ^(AI)be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.^[d]

⁸But ^(AJ)my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    ^(AK)in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!^[e]
⁹Keep me from ^(AL)the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
¹⁰Let the wicked ^(AM)fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil^[f] of David, when he was in ^(AN)the cave. A Prayer.

142 With my voice I ^(AO)cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I ^(AP)plead for mercy to the Lord.
²I ^(AQ)pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.

³When my spirit ^(AR)faints within me,
    you know my way!
In the path where I walk
    they have ^(AS)hidden a trap for me.
⁴^(AT)Look to the ^(AU)right and see:
    ^(AV)there is none who takes notice of me;
^(AW)no refuge remains to me;
    no one cares for my soul.

⁵I cry to you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my ^(AX)refuge,
    my ^(AY)portion in ^(AZ)the land of the living.”
⁶^(BA)Attend to my cry,
    for ^(BB)I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
    ^(BC)for they are too strong for me!
⁷^(BD)Bring me out of prison,
    that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
    for you will ^(BE)deal bountifully with me.