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A Morning Prayer for Protection

For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

Lord, ·listen [L give ear] to my words.
    Understand my ·sadness [L moans; sighs].
·Listen [Pay attention] to my cry for help, my King and my God,
    because I pray to you.
Lord, every morning you hear my voice.
    Every morning, I ·tell you what I need [or prepare a sacrifice for you; L stretch out/arrange before you],
and I ·wait for your answer [L watch].

You are not a God who ·is pleased with the wicked [takes delight in evil];
    ·you do not live with those who do evil [L evil does not sojourn with you].
Those people who ·make fun of you [or boast] cannot stand before ·you [L your eyes].
    You hate all those who do evil.
You destroy ·liars [L those who speak lies];
    the Lord ·hates [despises] those ·who kill and trick others [L with bloodguilt and deceit].

Because of your great ·love [loyalty; covenant love],
    I ·can [or will] come into your ·Temple [L house].
Because I ·fear you [hold you in awe],
    I can ·worship [bow down] ·in [or toward] your holy Temple.
Lord, since I have many enemies,
    ·show me the right thing to do [L lead/guide me in your righteousness].
·Show me clearly how you want me to live [L Make your way straight before me].

My enemies’ mouths do not tell the truth;
    ·in their hearts they want to destroy others [L their innards are destruction].
Their throats are like open graves [Rom. 3:13];
    they use their tongues for ·telling lies [flattery].
10 God, ·declare them guilty [L make them bear their iniquity]!
    Let them fall ·into their own traps [or by their own advice].
·Send [Cast] them away because their ·sins [transgressions] are many;
    they have ·turned [rebelled] against you.

11 But let everyone who ·trusts [finds refuge in] you ·be happy [rejoice];
    let them sing glad songs forever.
·Protect [L Spread your protection on] those who love you
    and ·who are happy because of you [L let those who love your name rejoice in you].
12 Lord, you bless those who ·do what is right [are righteous];
    you ·protect them [L surround them with favor] like a shield.

Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

To the Chief Musician; on wind instruments. A Psalm of David.

Listen to my words, O Lord,
Consider my groaning and sighing.

Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God,
For to You I pray.

In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice;
In the morning I will prepare [a prayer and a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].


For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;
No evil [person] dwells with You.

The boastful and the arrogant will not stand in Your sight;
You hate all who do evil.

You destroy those who tell lies;
The Lord detests and rejects the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy;
At Your holy temple I will bow [obediently] in reverence for You.


O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight (direct, right) before me.

For there is nothing trustworthy or reliable or truthful in what they say;
Their heart is destruction [just a treacherous chasm, a yawning gulf of lies].
Their throat is an open grave;
They [glibly] flatter with their [silken] tongue.(A)
10 
Hold them guilty, O God;
Let them fall by their own designs and councils!
Cast them out because of the abundance of their transgressions,
For they are mutinous and have rebelled against You.

11 
But let all who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice,
Let them ever sing for joy;
Because You cover and shelter them,
Let those who love Your name be joyful and exult in You.
12 
For You, O Lord, bless the righteous man [the one who is in right standing with You];
You surround him with favor as with a shield.