140 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man,

² who imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

³ They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah

⁴ Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man, who has purposed to overthrow my goings.

⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me, and with cords they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set traps for me. Selah

⁶ I said unto the Lord, “Thou art my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

⁷ O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸ Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked 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 deep pits, that they rise not up again.

¹¹ Let not an evil speaker be established on the earth; evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

¹² I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor.

¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name; the upright shall dwell in Thy presence.

141 Lord, I cry unto Thee! Make haste unto me! Give ear unto my voice when I cry unto Thee.

² Let my prayer be set before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

³ Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

⁴ Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.

⁵ Let the righteous smite me: it shall be a kindness. And let him reprove me: it shall be as an excellent oil, which shall not break my head; for yet my prayer shall be with them in their calamities.

⁶ When their judges are overthrown onto stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.

⁷ Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

⁸ But mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord; in Thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

⁹ Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I thereupon escape.

142 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.

² I poured out my complaint before Him; I laid before Him my trouble.

³ When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then Thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

⁴ I looked on my right hand and beheld, but there was no man that would know me. Refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

⁵ I cried unto Thee, O Lord; I said, “Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

⁶ Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

⁷ Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Thy name; the righteous shall compass me about, for Thou shalt deal bountifully with me.”

14 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather so that ye may prophesy.

² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him, however it may be that in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

³ But he that prophesieth, speaketh unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort.

⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself, but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

⁵ I would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, unless he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

⁶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

⁷ And even things without life, making sounds, whether pipe or harp, unless they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

⁹ So likewise you, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken, for ye shall be speaking into the air?

¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

¹¹ Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

¹² Even so ye, inasmuch as ye are zealous to possess spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

¹³ Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

¹⁵ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

¹⁶ Else, when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say “Amen” at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

¹⁸ I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than ye all.

¹⁹ Yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding. Nonetheless, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.