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An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I call upon You; hurry to me.
Listen to my voice when I call to You.

Let my prayer be counted as incense before You;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.(A)

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly].

Do not incline my heart to [consent to or tolerate] any evil thing,
Or to practice deeds of wickedness
With men who plan and do evil;
And let me not eat of their delicacies (be tempted by their gain).


Let the righteous [thoughtfully] strike (correct) me—it is a kindness [done to encourage my spiritual maturity].
It is [the choicest anointing] oil on the head;
Let my head not refuse [to accept and acknowledge and learn from] it;
For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.(B)

Their [wicked, godless] judges are thrown down the sides of the rocky cliff,
And they [who followed them] will hear my words, for they are pleasant (just).

As when the one plows and breaks open the ground [and the soil scatters behind him],
Our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol [by the injustices of the wicked].(C)


For my eyes are toward You, O God, the Lord;
In You I take refuge; do not pour out my life nor leave me defenseless.

Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the snares of those who do evil.
10 
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I pass by and safely escape [from danger].

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of David; when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142 I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.

I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my trouble before Him.

When my spirit was overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness],
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.

Look to the right [the point of attack] and see;
For there is no one who has regard for me [to act in my favor].
Escape has failed me and I have nowhere to run;
No one cares about my life.


I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.

“Give attention to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.

“Bring my soul out of prison (adversity),
So that I may give thanks and praise Your name;
The righteous will surround me [in triumph],
For You will look after me.”

Prayer for Help and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Listen to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, and in Your righteousness.

And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous or justified.(D)

For the enemy has persecuted me,
He has crushed my life down to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have been long dead.

Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness];
My heart grows numb within me.


I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that You have done;
I ponder the work of Your hands.

I reach out my hands to You;
My throat thirsts for You, as a parched land [thirsts for water]. Selah.


Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down into the pit (grave).

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For I trust in You.
Teach me the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.

Rescue me, O Lord, from my enemies;
I take refuge in You.

10 
Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You],
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11 
Save my life, O Lord, for Your name’s sake;
In Your righteousness bring my life out of trouble.
12 
In your lovingkindness, silence and destroy my enemies
And destroy all those who afflict my life,
For I am Your servant.

Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord, my Rock and my great strength,
Who trains my hands for war
And my fingers for battle;

My [steadfast] lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my rescuer,
My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.

Lord, what is man that You take notice of him?
Or the son of man that You think of him?(E)

Man is like a mere breath;
His days are like a shadow that passes away.


Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

Flash lightning and scatter my enemies;
Send out Your arrows and confuse and embarrass and frustrate them.

Stretch out Your hand from above;
Set me free and rescue me from great waters,
Out of the hands of [hostile] foreigners [who surround us]

Whose mouths speak deceit [without restraint],
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.


I will sing a new song to You, O God;
Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 
Who gives salvation to kings,
Who sets David His servant free from the evil sword.
11 
Set me free and rescue me from the hand of [hostile] foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks deceit [without restraint],
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 
Let our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
And our daughters like corner pillars fashioned for a palace;
13 
Let our barns be full, supplying every kind of produce,
And our flocks bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;
14 
Let our cattle bear
Without mishap and without loss,
And let there be no outcry in our streets!
15 
How blessed and favored are the people in such circumstance;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored] are the people whose God is the Lord!

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
    hear me(B) when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
    may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)

Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
    from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.(W)

Psalm 142[a]

A maskil[b] of David. When he was in the cave.(X) A prayer.

I cry aloud(Y) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(Z)
I pour out before him my complaint;(AA)
    before him I tell my trouble.(AB)

When my spirit grows faint(AC) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(AD)
    no one cares(AE) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(AF)
    my portion(AG) in the land of the living.”(AH)

Listen to my cry,(AI)
    for I am in desperate need;(AJ)
rescue me(AK) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(AL) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(AM)
    that I may praise your name.(AN)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(AO)

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(AP)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(AQ)
in your faithfulness(AR) and righteousness(AS)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(AT) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(AU)
    like those long dead.(AV)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(AW)
I remember(AX) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(AY) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(AZ) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[c]

Answer me quickly,(BA) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(BB)
Do not hide your face(BC) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(BD)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(BE) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(BF)
Rescue me(BG) from my enemies,(BH) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(BI) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(BJ)
may your good Spirit
    lead(BK) me on level ground.(BL)

11 For your name’s sake,(BM) Lord, preserve my life;(BN)
    in your righteousness,(BO) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(BP)
    destroy all my foes,(BQ)
    for I am your servant.(BR)

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(BS)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(BT)
    my stronghold(BU) and my deliverer,
my shield,(BV) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[d](BW) under me.

Lord, what are human beings(BX) that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;(BY)
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.(BZ)

Part your heavens,(CA) Lord, and come down;(CB)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(CC)
Send forth lightning(CD) and scatter(CE) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(CF) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(CG)
    deliver me and rescue me(CH)
from the mighty waters,(CI)
    from the hands of foreigners(CJ)
whose mouths are full of lies,(CK)
    whose right hands(CL) are deceitful.(CM)

I will sing a new song(CN) to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre(CO) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(CP)
    who delivers his servant David.(CQ)

From the deadly sword(CR) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(CS) from the hands of foreigners(CT)
whose mouths are full of lies,(CU)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(CV)

12 Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,(CW)
and our daughters will be like pillars(CX)
    carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(CY)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
14     our oxen(CZ) will draw heavy loads.[e]
There will be no breaching of walls,(DA)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.(DB)
15 Blessed is the people(DC) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  2. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  4. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
  5. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established