³ Though you probe my heart,^(G)
    though you examine me at night and test me,^(H)
you will find that I have planned no evil;^(I)
    my mouth has not transgressed.^(J)
4 Though people tried to bribe me,
    I have kept myself from the ways of the violent
    through what your lips have commanded.
⁵ My steps have held to your paths;^(K)
    my feet have not stumbled.^(L)

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;^(M)
    turn your ear to me^(N) and hear my prayer.^(O)
7 Show me the wonders of your great love,^(P)
    you who save by your right hand^(Q)
    those who take refuge^(R) in you from their foes.
⁸ Keep me^(S) as the apple of your eye;^(T)
    hide me^(U) in the shadow of your wings^(V)
9 from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me.^(W)

¹⁰ They close up their callous hearts,^(X)
    and their mouths speak with arrogance.^(Y)
11 They have tracked me down, they now surround me,^(Z)
    with eyes alert, to throw me to the ground.
¹² They are like a lion^(AA) hungry for prey,^(AB)
    like a fierce lion crouching in cover.

¹³ Rise up,^(AC) Lord, confront them, bring them down;^(AD)
    with your sword rescue me from the wicked.
¹⁴ By your hand save me from such people, Lord,
    from those of this world^(AE) whose reward is in this life.^(AF)
May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies;
    may their children gorge themselves on it,
    and may there be leftovers^(AG) for their little ones.

¹⁵ As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
    when I awake,^(AH) I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.^(AI)

⁴ May those who seek my life^(I)
    be disgraced^(J) and put to shame;^(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back^(L) in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff^(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord^(N) driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net^(O) for me without cause^(P)
    and without cause dug a pit^(Q) for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,^(S) to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice^(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.^(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,^(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(W) for them,
    the poor and needy^(X) from those who rob them.”

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses^(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good^(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.^(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning^(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered^(AE) me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b](AF)
    they gnashed their teeth^(AG) at me.

¹⁷ How long,^(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life^(AI) from these lions.^(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(AK)
    among the throngs^(AL) I will praise you.^(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies^(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.^(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations^(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer^(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!^(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²² Lord, you have seen^(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(AU) from me, Lord.
²³ Awake,^(AV) and rise^(AW) to my defense!
    Contend^(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat^(AY) over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha,^(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”^(BA)

²⁶ May all who gloat^(BB) over my distress^(BC)
    be put to shame^(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication^(BF)
    shout for joy^(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights^(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”^(BI)

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,^(BJ)
    your praises all day long.^(BK)

⁴ Keep me safe,^(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;^(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵ 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.

⁶ I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”^(L)
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.^(M)
7 Sovereign Lord,^(N) my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Do not grant the wicked^(O) their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

⁹ 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)

³ Set a guard over my mouth,^(AD) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.^(AE)
4 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)

⁵ 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.

⁶ Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,^(AK)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
⁷ 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.”

⁸ But my eyes are fixed^(AO) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge^(AP)—do not give me over to death.
⁹ 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)