Psalm 140-141
New American Standard Bible
Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.
For the music director. A Psalm of David.
140 (A)Rescue me, Lord, from evil people;
Protect me from (B)violent men
2 Who (C)devise evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
3 They (E)sharpen their tongues like a snake;
(F)The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 (G)Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
(H)Protect me from violent men
Who [a]intend to [b](I)trip up my feet.
5 The proud have (J)hidden a trap for me, and snares;
They have spread a (K)net at the [c]wayside;
They have set (L)snares for me. Selah
6 I (M)said to the Lord, “You are my God;
(N)Listen, Lord, to the (O)sound of my pleadings.
7 [d]God the Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head on the day of [e]battle.
8 Do not grant, Lord, the (R)desires of the wicked;
Do not bring about (S)his evil planning, so that they are not exalted. Selah
9 “As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (T)harm of their lips cover them.
10 May (U)burning coals fall upon them;
May they be (V)cast into the fire,
Into bottomless pits from which they (W)cannot rise.
11 May a [f]slanderer not endure on the earth;
(X)May evil hunt a violent person [g]violently.”
12 I know that the Lord will (Y)maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And (Z)justice for the poor.
13 Certainly the (AA)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (AB)upright will dwell in Your presence.
An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.
A Psalm of David.
141 Lord, I call upon You; (AC)hurry to me!
(AD)Listen to my voice when I call to You!
2 May my prayer be [h]counted as (AE)incense before You;
The (AF)raising of my hands as the (AG)evening offering.
3 Set a (AH)guard, Lord, [i]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (AI)door of my lips.
4 (AJ)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds [j]of wickedness
With people who (AK)do wrong;
And (AL)may I not taste their delicacies.
5 May the (AM)righteous strike me with mercy and discipline me;
It is (AN)oil for the head;
My head shall not refuse it,
For my prayer (AO)is still against their evil deeds.
6 Their judges are (AP)thrown down by the sides of the rock,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one (AQ)plows and breaks open the earth,
Our (AR)bones have been scattered at the (AS)mouth of [k]Sheol.
8 For my (AT)eyes are toward You, [l]God, the Lord;
In You I (AU)take refuge; (AV)do not [m]leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the [n](AW)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (AX)snares of those who do wrong.
10 May the wicked (AY)fall into their own nets,
While I pass by [o](AZ)safely.
Footnotes
- Psalm 140:4 Or devise
- Psalm 140:4 Lit push
- Psalm 140:5 Lit track
- Psalm 140:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 140:7 Lit weapons
- Psalm 140:11 Lit man of tongue
- Psalm 140:11 Lit blow upon blow
- Psalm 141:2 Lit fixed
- Psalm 141:3 Lit to
- Psalm 141:4 Lit in
- Psalm 141:7 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 141:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 141:8 Lit pour out my soul
- Psalm 141:9 Lit hands of the trap
- Psalm 141:10 Lit altogether
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