Psalm 140
New Life Version
A Prayer for Help
140 O Lord, take me away from sinful men. Keep me safe from men who want to hurt others. 2 They make sinful plans in their hearts. They always start wars. 3 They make their tongues sharp like a snake’s. And the poison of a snake is under their lips.
4 O Lord, keep me from the hands of the sinful. Keep me safe from men who want to hurt others and have planned to trip my feet. 5 The proud have hidden a trap for me. With ropes they have spread a net. They have set traps for me beside the road. 6 I said to the Lord, “You are my God. Listen to the voice of my prayers, O Lord. 7 O God the Lord, the strength that saves me, You have covered my head in the day of battle. 8 O Lord, do not give the sinful what they want. Do not let their plans work, or they will be honored.
9 “As for those who gather around me, may the wrong-doing of their lips come upon their heads. 10 May burning coals fall upon them. May they be thrown into the fire, into deep holes, and rise no more. 11 Do not let the man whose talking hurts people stand in the land. May trouble hurry to catch and destroy the man who wants to hurt others.”
12 I know that the Lord will stand by those who suffer and do what is right for the poor. 13 For sure those who are right and good will give thanks to Your name. Those who are right will live with You.
Psalm 140
Lexham English Bible
Prayer for Help in the Face of Enemies
For the music director. A psalm of David.[a]
140 Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men.[b]
Preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart.
They stir up wars continually.
3 They sharpen their tongue as sharp as a snake’s;
the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 Protect me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to make me stumble.[c]
5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords.
They have spread out a net along the side[d] of the path.
They have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to Yahweh, “You are my God.”
Listen, O Yahweh, to the voice of my supplications.
7 O Yahweh, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the wicked.
Do not allow them to attain their[e] plan, lest they be exalted. Selah
9 With respect to the head of those who surround me,
may the harm of their lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall on them;
let them be dropped into the fire,
into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise.
11 Do not let a slanderer[f] be established in the land;
as for the man of violence, let evil hunt him quickly.
12 I know[g] that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
the upright will dwell in your presence.
Footnotes
- Psalm 140:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
- Psalm 140:1 The several uses of the singular “man” in this psalm are probably collective
- Psalm 140:4 Literally “push my steps”
- Psalm 140:5 Literally “hand”
- Psalm 140:8 Hebrew “his”
- Psalm 140:11 Literally “man of tongue”
- Psalm 140:12 According to the reading tradition (Qere)
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