140 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from an evil man, From one of violence Thou keepest me.

² Who have devised evils in the heart, All the day they assemble [for] wars.

³ They sharpened their tongue as a serpent, Poison of an adder [is] under their lips. Selah.

⁴ Preserve me, Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked, From one of violence Thou keepest me, Who have devised to overthrow my steps.

⁵ The proud hid a snare for me -- and cords, They spread a net by the side of the path, Snares they have set for me. Selah.

⁶ I have said to Jehovah, `My God [art] Thou, Hear, Jehovah, the voice of my supplications.'

⁷ O Jehovah, my Lord, strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of armour.

⁸ Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked, His wicked device bring not forth, They are high. Selah.

⁹ The chief of my surrounders, The perverseness of their lips covereth them.

¹⁰ They cause to fall on themselves burning coals, Into fire He doth cast them, Into deep pits -- they arise not.

¹¹ A talkative man is not established in the earth, One of violence -- evil hunteth to overflowing.

¹² I have known that Jehovah doth execute The judgment of the afflicted, The judgment of the needy.

¹³ Only -- the righteous give thanks to Thy name, The upright do dwell with Thy presence!

141 A Psalm, by David. O Jehovah, I have called Thee, haste to me, Give ear [to] my voice when I call to Thee.

² My prayer is prepared -- incense before Thee, The lifting up of my hands -- the evening present.

³ Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.

⁴ Incline not my heart to an evil thing, To do habitually actions in wickedness, With men working iniquity, Yea, I eat not of their pleasant things.

⁵ The righteous doth beat me [in] kindness. And doth reprove me, Oil of the head my head disalloweth not, For still my prayer [is] about their vexations.

⁶ Their judges have been released by the sides of a rock, And they have heard my sayings, For they have been pleasant.

⁷ As one tilling and ripping up in the land, Have our bones been scattered at the command of Saul.

⁸ But to Thee, O Jehovah, my Lord, [are] mine eyes, In Thee I have trusted, Make not bare my soul.

⁹ Keep me from the gin they laid for me, Even snares of workers of iniquity.

¹⁰ The wicked fall in their nets together, till I pass over!

142 An Instruction of David, a Prayer when he is in the cave. My voice [is] unto Jehovah, I cry, My voice [is] unto Jehovah, I entreat grace.

² I pour forth before Him my meditation, My distress before Him I declare.

³ When my spirit hath been feeble in me, Then Thou hast known my path; In the way [in] which I walk, They have hid a snare for me.

⁴ Looking on the right hand -- and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Perished hath refuge from me, There is none inquiring for my soul.

⁵ I have cried unto thee, O Jehovah, I have said, `Thou [art] my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.'

⁶ Attend Thou unto my loud cry, For I have become very low, Deliver Thou me from my pursuers, For they have been stronger than I.

⁷ Bring forth from prison my soul to confess Thy name, The righteous do compass me about, When Thou conferrest benefits upon me!