Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

140 (A)Rescue me, Lord, from evil people;
Protect me from (B)violent men
Who (C)devise evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
They (E)sharpen their tongues like a snake;
(F)The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah

(G)Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
(H)Protect me from violent men
Who [a]intend to [b](I)trip up my feet.
The proud have (J)hidden a trap for me, and snares;
They have spread a (K)net at the [c]wayside;
They have set (L)snares for me. Selah

I (M)said to the Lord, “You are my God;
(N)Listen, Lord, to the (O)sound of my pleadings.
[d]God the Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head on the day of [e]battle.
Do not grant, Lord, the (R)desires of the wicked;
Do not bring about (S)his evil planning, so that they are not exalted. Selah

“As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (T)harm of their lips cover them.
10 May (U)burning coals fall upon them;
May they be (V)cast into the fire,
Into bottomless pits from which they (W)cannot rise.
11 May a [f]slanderer not endure on the earth;
(X)May evil hunt a violent person [g]violently.”

12 I know that the Lord will (Y)maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And (Z)justice for the poor.
13 Certainly the (AA)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (AB)upright will dwell in Your presence.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:4 Or devise
  2. Psalm 140:4 Lit push
  3. Psalm 140:5 Lit track
  4. Psalm 140:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  5. Psalm 140:7 Lit weapons
  6. Psalm 140:11 Lit man of tongue
  7. Psalm 140:11 Lit blow upon blow

Psalm 140

For the music leader. A psalm of David.

140 Rescue me from evil people, Lord!
    Guard me from violent people
    who plot evil things in their hearts,
    who pick fights every single day!
They sharpen their tongues like a snake’s;
    spider poison[a] is on their lips. Selah

Protect me from the power of the wicked, Lord!
    Guard me from violent people
        who plot to trip me up!
Arrogant people have laid a trap for me with ropes.
    They’ve spread out a net alongside the road.
    They’ve set snares for me. Selah

I tell the Lord, “You are my God!
    Listen to my request for mercy, Lord!”
My Lord God, my strong saving help—
    you’ve protected my head on the day of battle.
Lord, don’t give the wicked what they want!
    Don’t allow their plans to succeed,
    or they’ll exalt themselves even more![b] Selah

Let the heads of the people surrounding me
    be covered with the trouble their own lips caused![c]
10 Let burning coals fall on them!
    Let them fall into deep pits and never get out again!
11 Let no slanderer be safe in the land.
    Let calamity hunt down violent people—and quickly![d]

12 I know that the Lord will take up the case of the poor
    and will do what is right for the needy.
13 Yes, the righteous will give thanks to your name,
    and those who do right will live in your presence.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:3 LXX snake poison
  2. Psalm 140:8 Heb uncertain
  3. Psalm 140:9 Heb uncertain
  4. Psalm 140:11 Heb uncertain

Psalm 140[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Rescue me,(A) Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,(B)
who devise evil plans(C) in their hearts
    and stir up war(D) every day.
They make their tongues as sharp as(E) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers(F) is on their lips.[b]

Keep me safe,(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a snare(I) for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net(J)
    and have set traps(K) for me along my path.

I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”(L)
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.(M)
Sovereign Lord,(N) my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant the wicked(O) their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(P)
10 May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,(Q)
    into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.(R)

12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor(S)
    and upholds the cause(T) of the needy.(U)
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,(V)
    and the upright will live(W) in your presence.(X)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:1 In Hebrew texts 140:1-13 is numbered 140:2-14.
  2. Psalm 140:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 8.