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To the director: A song of David.

64 God, listen to my complaint.
    Save me from the terrible threats of my enemies!
Protect me from the secret plans of the wicked.
    Hide me from that gang of evil people.
They sharpen their tongues to use like swords.
    They aim their poisonous words like arrows.
Suddenly, from their hiding places, they let their arrows fly.
    They shoot to kill innocent people.
They encourage each other to do wrong.
    They talk about setting traps and say, “No one will see them here!
No one will discover our crime.
    We have the perfect plan!”
Yes, people can be very tricky and hard to understand.
But suddenly, God will shoot his arrows,
    and those wicked people will be hit.
He will use their own words against them,
    and they will be destroyed.
Then everyone who sees them
    will shake their heads in amazement.
People will see what God has done.
    They will tell other people about him.
Then everyone will learn more about God.
    They will learn to fear and respect him.
10 Good people are happy to serve the Lord.
    They depend on him to protect them.
    All those who want to do right will praise him!

Psalm 64[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(A)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(B)

Hide me from the conspiracy(C) of the wicked,(D)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(E)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(F)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(G)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(H)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(I)
    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”(J)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(K)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(L) in scorn.(M)
All people will fear;(N)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(O)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(P)
    and take refuge in him;(Q)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  2. Psalm 64:5 Or us