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Rescue Me, O Yahweh, from Evil Men

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

140 (A)Rescue me, O Yahweh, from evil men;
Guard me from (B)violent men
Who (C)think up evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
They (E)sharpen their tongues as a serpent;
(F)Poison of an asp is under their lips. [a]Selah.

(G)Keep me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the wicked;
(H)Guard me from violent men
Who [b]give thought to [c](I)trip up my steps.
The proud have (J)hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a (K)net by the [d]wayside;
They have set (L)snares for me. Selah.

I (M)said to Yahweh, “You are my God;
(N)Give ear, O Yahweh, to the (O)voice of my supplications.
O Yahweh, O Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head in the day of [e]battle.
Do not grant, O Yahweh, the (R)desires of the wicked;
Do not promote (S)his evil [f]scheme, that they not be exalted. Selah.

“As for the head of those who surround me,
May the (T)trouble from their lips cover them.
10 May (U)burning coals be shaken out upon them;
May He (V)cause them to fall into the fire,
Into [g]bottomless pits from which they (W)can never rise.
11 May a [h]slanderer not be established in the earth;
(X)May evil hunt the violent man [i]speedily.”

12 I know that Yahweh will (Y)maintain the cause for the afflicted
And (Z)judgment for the needy.
13 Surely the (AA)righteous will give thanks to Your name;
The (AB)upright will abide in Your presence.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:3 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  2. Psalm 140:4 Or devised
  3. Psalm 140:4 Lit push violently my steps
  4. Psalm 140:5 Lit track
  5. Psalm 140:7 Lit weapons
  6. Psalm 140:8 Or plan
  7. Psalm 140:10 Lit watery
  8. Psalm 140:11 Lit man of tongue
  9. Psalm 140:11 Lit thrust upon thrust

Psalm 140

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O Lord, rescue me from evil people.
    Protect me from those who are violent,
those who plot evil in their hearts
    and stir up trouble all day long.
Their tongues sting like a snake;
    the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude

O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.
    Protect me from those who are violent,
    for they are plotting against me.
The proud have set a trap to catch me;
    they have stretched out a net;
    they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude

I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”
    Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!
O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me,
    you protected me on the day of battle.
Lord, do not let evil people have their way.
    Do not let their evil schemes succeed,
    or they will become proud. Interlude

Let my enemies be destroyed
    by the very evil they have planned for me.
10 Let burning coals fall down on their heads.
    Let them be thrown into the fire
    or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.
11 Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.
    Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.

12 But I know the Lord will help those they persecute;
    he will give justice to the poor.
13 Surely righteous people are praising your name;
    the godly will live in your presence.