¹ O Lord, I have so many enemies;
    so many are against me.
² So many are saying,
    “God will never rescue him!” Interlude^[a]

³ But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
⁴ I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

⁵ I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
⁶ I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side.

⁷ Arise, O Lord!
    Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
    Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
⁸ Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. Interlude

¹ Answer me when I call to you,
    O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
    Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

² How long will you people ruin my reputation?
    How long will you make groundless accusations?
    How long will you continue your lies? Interlude
³ You can be sure of this:
    The Lord set apart the godly for himself.
    The Lord will answer when I call to him.

⁴ Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
    Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
⁵ Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,
    and trust the Lord.

⁶ Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
    Let your face smile on us, Lord.
⁷ You have given me greater joy
    than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

¹ Hear my prayer, O Lord;
    listen to my plea!
    Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.
² Don’t put your servant on trial,
    for no one is innocent before you.
³ My enemy has chased me.
    He has knocked me to the ground
    and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave.
⁴ I am losing all hope;
    I am paralyzed with fear.
⁵ I remember the days of old.
    I ponder all your great works
    and think about what you have done.
⁶ I lift my hands to you in prayer.
    I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude

⁷ Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,
    for my depression deepens.
Don’t turn away from me,
    or I will die.
⁸ Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.
⁹ Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
    I run to you to hide me.
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
    for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
    on a firm footing.
¹¹ For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life.
    Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.
¹² In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
    and destroy all my foes,
    for I am your servant.

¹ O Lord, hear me as I pray;
    pay attention to my groaning.
² Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
    for I pray to no one but you.
³ Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
    Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

⁴ O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
    you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
⁵ Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
    for you hate all who do evil.
⁶ You will destroy those who tell lies.
    The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.

⁷ Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
    I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
⁸ Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
    or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.

⁹ My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
    Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with flattery.^[a]
10 O God, declare them guilty.
    Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
    for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
    that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
¹² For you bless the godly, O Lord;
    you surround them with your shield of love.

¹ Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Do not ignore my cry for help!
² Please listen and answer me,
    for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
³ My enemies shout at me,
    making loud and wicked threats.
They bring trouble on me
    and angrily hunt me down.

⁴ My heart pounds in my chest.
    The terror of death assaults me.
⁵ Fear and trembling overwhelm me,
    and I can’t stop shaking.
⁶ Oh, that I had wings like a dove;
    then I would fly away and rest!
⁷ I would fly far away
    to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude
⁸ How quickly I would escape—
    far from this wild storm of hatred.

⁹ Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans,
    for I see violence and conflict in the city.
¹⁰ Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders,
    but the real danger is wickedness within the city.
¹¹ Everything is falling apart;
    threats and cheating are rampant in the streets.

¹² It is not an enemy who taunts me—
    I could bear that.
It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—
    I could have hidden from them.
¹³ Instead, it is you—my equal,
    my companion and close friend.
¹⁴ What good fellowship we once enjoyed
    as we walked together to the house of God.

¹⁵ Let death stalk my enemies;
    let the grave^[b] swallow them alive,
    for evil makes its home within them.

¹⁶ But I will call on God,
    and the Lord will rescue me.
¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night
    I cry out in my distress,
    and the Lord hears my voice.
¹⁸ He ransoms me and keeps me safe
    from the battle waged against me,
    though many still oppose me.
¹⁹ God, who has ruled forever,
    will hear me and humble them. Interlude
For my enemies refuse to change their ways;
    they do not fear God.

²⁰ As for my companion, he betrayed his friends;
    he broke his promises.
²¹ His words are as smooth as butter,
    but in his heart is war.
His words are as soothing as lotion,
    but underneath are daggers!

²² Give your burdens to the Lord,
    and he will take care of you.
    He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

²³ But you, O God, will send the wicked
    down to the pit of destruction.
Murderers and liars will die young,
    but I am trusting you to save me.