Psalm 140
New American Standard Bible
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
2 Who (C)devise evil things in their hearts;
They (D)continually stir up wars.
3 They (E)sharpen their tongues like a snake;
(F)The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah
4 (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.
5 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
6 I (M)said to the Lord, “You are my God;
(N)Listen, Lord, to the (O)sound of my pleadings.
7 [d]God the Lord, (P)the strength of my salvation,
You have (Q)covered my head on the day of [e]battle.
8 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
9 “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
- Psalm 140:4 Or devise
- Psalm 140:4 Lit push
- Psalm 140:5 Lit track
- Psalm 140:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Psalm 140:7 Lit weapons
- Psalm 140:11 Lit man of tongue
- Psalm 140:11 Lit blow upon blow
Psalm 140
American Standard Version
Prayer for protection against persecutors.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.
140 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man;
Preserve me from the violent man:
2 Who devise mischiefs in their heart;
Continually do they [a]gather themselves together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent;
Adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah
4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from the violent man:
Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set gins for me. Selah
6 I said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God:
Give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O Jehovah.
7 O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked;
Further not his evil device, lest they exalt themselves. Selah
9 As for the head of those that compass me about,
Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them:
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into [b]deep pits, whence they shall not rise.
11 [c]An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth:
Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name:
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Footnotes
- Psalm 140:2 Or, stir up wars
- Psalm 140:10 Or, floods
- Psalm 140:11 Hebrew A man of tongue.
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