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.

An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I call upon You; (AC)hurry to me!
(AD)Listen to my voice when I call to You!
May my prayer be [h]counted as (AE)incense before You;
The (AF)raising of my hands as the (AG)evening offering.
Set a (AH)guard, Lord, [i]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (AI)door of my lips.
(AJ)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds [j]of wickedness
With people who (AK)do wrong;
And (AL)may I not taste their delicacies.

May the (AM)righteous strike me with mercy and discipline me;
It is (AN)oil for the head;
My head shall not refuse it,
For my prayer (AO)is still against their evil deeds.
Their judges are (AP)thrown down by the sides of the rock,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
As when one (AQ)plows and breaks open the earth,
Our (AR)bones have been scattered at the (AS)mouth of [k]Sheol.

For my (AT)eyes are toward You, [l]God, the Lord;
In You I (AU)take refuge; (AV)do not [m]leave me defenseless.
Keep me from the [n](AW)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (AX)snares of those who do wrong.
10 May the wicked (AY)fall into their own nets,
While I pass by [o](AZ)safely.

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

[p]Maskil of David, when he was [q]in the cave. A Prayer.

142 I (BA)cry out with my voice to the Lord;
With my voice I (BB)implore the Lord for compassion.
I (BC)pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my (BD)trouble before Him.
When (BE)my spirit felt weak within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have (BF)hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see;
For there is (BG)no one who regards me favorably;
[r]There is no (BH)escape for me;
(BI)No one cares for my soul.

I cried out to You, Lord;
I said, “You are (BJ)my refuge,
My (BK)portion in the (BL)land of the living.
(BM)Give Your attention to my cry,
For I have been (BN)brought very low;
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they are too (BO)strong for me.
(BP)Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will (BQ)look after me.”

Prayer for Help and Guidance.

A Psalm of David.

143 Hear my prayer, Lord,
(BR)Listen to my pleadings!
Answer me in Your (BS)faithfulness, in Your (BT)righteousness!
And (BU)do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For (BV)no person living is righteous in Your sight.
For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life (BW)to the ground;
He (BX)has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore (BY)my spirit [s]feels weak within me;
My heart is [t](BZ)appalled within me.

I (CA)remember the days of old;
I (CB)meditate on all Your accomplishments;
I (CC)reflect on the work of Your hands.
I (CD)spread out my hands to You;
My (CE)soul longs for You, like a weary land. Selah

(CF)Answer me quickly, Lord, my (CG)spirit fails;
(CH)Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will be the same as (CI)those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear Your (CJ)faithfulness (CK)in the morning,
For I trust (CL)in You;
Teach me the (CM)way in which I should walk;
For to You I (CN)lift up my soul.
(CO)Save me, Lord, from my enemies;
[u]I take refuge in You.

10 (CP)Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let (CQ)Your good Spirit (CR)lead me on level [v]ground.
11 (CS)For the sake of Your name, Lord, (CT)revive me.
(CU)In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Your faithfulness, [w](CV)destroy my enemies,
And (CW)eliminate all those who attack my soul,
For (CX)I am Your servant.

Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity.

A Psalm of David.

144 Blessed be the Lord, (CY)my rock,
Who (CZ)trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
My faithfulness and (DA)my fortress,
My (DB)stronghold and my savior,
My (DC)shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who (DD)subdues [x]my people under me.
Lord, (DE)what is man, that You look after him?
Or a son of man, that You think of him?
(DF)Man is like the breath;
His (DG)days are like a passing shadow.

(DH)Bend down Your heavens, Lord, and (DI)come down;
(DJ)Touch the mountains, that they may smoke.
Flash forth (DK)lightning and scatter them;
Send out Your (DL)arrows and confuse them.
Reach out with Your hand (DM)from on high;
Rescue me and (DN)save me from great waters,
From the hand of (DO)foreigners
Whose mouths (DP)speak deceit,
And whose (DQ)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

God, I will sing a (DR)new song to You;
On a (DS)harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10 Who (DT)gives salvation to kings,
Who (DU)rescues His servant David from the evil sword.
11 Rescue me and save me from the hand of (DV)foreigners,
Whose mouth (DW)speaks deceit
And whose (DX)right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12 When our sons in their youth are like (DY)growing plants,
And our daughters like (DZ)corner pillars [y]fashioned for a palace,
13 Our (EA)granaries are full, providing every kind of produce,
And our flocks deliver thousands and ten thousands in our [z]fields;
14 May our (EB)cattle [aa]be bred
Without [ab](EC)mishap and without [ac](ED)loss,
May there be no (EE)outcry in our streets!
15 Blessed are the people who are so situated;
(EF)Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

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
  8. Psalm 141:2 Lit fixed
  9. Psalm 141:3 Lit to
  10. Psalm 141:4 Lit in
  11. Psalm 141:7 I.e., the netherworld
  12. Psalm 141:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  13. Psalm 141:8 Lit pour out my soul
  14. Psalm 141:9 Lit hands of the trap
  15. Psalm 141:10 Lit altogether
  16. Psalm 142 Title Possibly Contemplative; or Didactic; or Skillful Psalm
  17. Psalm 142 Title 1 Sam 22:1; 24:3
  18. Psalm 142:4 Lit Escape has perished from me
  19. Psalm 143:4 Or faints within
  20. Psalm 143:4 Or desolate
  21. Psalm 143:9 Lit To You have I hidden
  22. Psalm 143:10 Lit land
  23. Psalm 143:12 Or silence
  24. Psalm 144:2 Another reading is peoples
  25. Psalm 144:12 Lit cut after the pattern of
  26. Psalm 144:13 Lit outside
  27. Psalm 144:14 Lit be laden
  28. Psalm 144:14 Lit breach
  29. Psalm 144:14 Lit going out; i.e., miscarriage

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)

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

I call to you, Lord, come quickly(Y) to me;
    hear me(Z) when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;(AA)
    may the lifting up of my hands(AB) be like the evening sacrifice.(AC)

Set a guard over my mouth,(AD) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(AE)
Do not let my heart(AF) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds(AG)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.(AH)

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me(AI)—that is oil on my head.(AJ)
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(AK)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows(AL) and breaks up the earth,(AM)
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(AN) of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed(AO) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(AP)—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe(AQ) from the traps set by evildoers,(AR)
    from the snares(AS) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(AT) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.(AU)

Psalm 142[c]

A maskil[d] of David. When he was in the cave.(AV) A prayer.

I cry aloud(AW) to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(AX)
I pour out before him my complaint;(AY)
    before him I tell my trouble.(AZ)

When my spirit grows faint(BA) within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(BB)
    no one cares(BC) for my life.

I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,(BD)
    my portion(BE) in the land of the living.”(BF)

Listen to my cry,(BG)
    for I am in desperate need;(BH)
rescue me(BI) from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong(BJ) for me.
Set me free from my prison,(BK)
    that I may praise your name.(BL)
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.(BM)

Psalm 143

A psalm of David.

Lord, hear my prayer,(BN)
    listen to my cry for mercy;(BO)
in your faithfulness(BP) and righteousness(BQ)
    come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous(BR) before you.
The enemy pursues me,
    he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(BS)
    like those long dead.(BT)
So my spirit grows faint within me;
    my heart within me is dismayed.(BU)
I remember(BV) the days of long ago;
    I meditate(BW) on all your works
    and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands(BX) to you;
    I thirst for you like a parched land.[e]

Answer me quickly,(BY) Lord;
    my spirit fails.(BZ)
Do not hide your face(CA) from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(CB)
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(CC) I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.(CD)
Rescue me(CE) from my enemies,(CF) Lord,
    for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(CG) to do your will,
    for you are my God;(CH)
may your good Spirit
    lead(CI) me on level ground.(CJ)

11 For your name’s sake,(CK) Lord, preserve my life;(CL)
    in your righteousness,(CM) bring me out of trouble.
12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;(CN)
    destroy all my foes,(CO)
    for I am your servant.(CP)

Psalm 144

Of David.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,(CQ)
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,(CR)
    my stronghold(CS) and my deliverer,
my shield,(CT) in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples[f](CU) under me.

Lord, what are human beings(CV) that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
They are like a breath;(CW)
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.(CX)

Part your heavens,(CY) Lord, and come down;(CZ)
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.(DA)
Send forth lightning(DB) and scatter(DC) the enemy;
    shoot your arrows(DD) and rout them.
Reach down your hand from on high;(DE)
    deliver me and rescue me(DF)
from the mighty waters,(DG)
    from the hands of foreigners(DH)
whose mouths are full of lies,(DI)
    whose right hands(DJ) are deceitful.(DK)

I will sing a new song(DL) to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre(DM) I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,(DN)
    who delivers his servant David.(DO)

From the deadly sword(DP) 11 deliver me;
    rescue me(DQ) from the hands of foreigners(DR)
whose mouths are full of lies,(DS)
    whose right hands are deceitful.(DT)

12 Then our sons in their youth
    will be like well-nurtured plants,(DU)
and our daughters will be like pillars(DV)
    carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled(DW)
    with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
    by tens of thousands in our fields;
14     our oxen(DX) will draw heavy loads.[g]
There will be no breaching of walls,(DY)
    no going into captivity,
    no cry of distress in our streets.(DZ)
15 Blessed is the people(EA) of whom this is true;
    blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

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.
  3. Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
  4. Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  5. Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
  6. Psalm 144:2 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aquila, Jerome and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text subdues my people
  7. Psalm 144:14 Or our chieftains will be firmly established