Book of Common Prayer

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.

142 I cry with my voice unto Jehovah;
With my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication.
² I pour out my complaint before him;
I show before him my trouble.
³ When my spirit ^[a]was overwhelmed within me,
Thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walk
Have they hidden a snare for me.
⁴ Look on my right hand, and see;
For there is no man that knoweth me:
Refuge hath failed me;
No man careth for my soul.
⁵ I cried unto thee, O Jehovah;
I said, Thou art my refuge,
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 give thanks unto thy name:
The righteous shall ^[b]compass me about;
For thou wilt deal bountifully with me.

141 Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me:
Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.
² Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee;
The lifting up of my hands as the evening ^[a]sacrifice.
³ Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth;
Keep the door of my lips.
⁴ Incline not my heart to any evil thing,
To practise deeds of wickedness
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 oil upon the head;
Let not my head refuse it:
For ^[b]even in their ^[c]wickedness shall my prayer continue.
⁶ Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock;
And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
⁷ As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth,
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
⁸ For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord:
In thee do I take refuge; ^[d]leave not my soul destitute.
⁹ Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
Whilst that I withal ^[e]escape.

143 Hear my prayer, O Jehovah; give ear to my supplications:
In thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
² And enter not into judgment with thy servant;
For in thy sight no man living is righteous.
³ For the enemy hath persecuted my soul;
He hath smitten my life down to the ground:
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead.
⁴ Therefore ^[a]is my spirit overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is desolate.
⁵ I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all thy doings;
I muse on the work of thy hands.
⁶ I spread forth my hands unto thee:
My soul thirsteth after thee, as a weary land. Selah
⁷ Make haste to answer me, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth:
Hide not thy face from me,
Lest I become like them that go down into the pit.
⁸ Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning;
For in thee do I trust:
Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk;
For I lift up my soul unto thee.
⁹ Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies:
^[b]I flee unto thee to hide me.
¹⁰ Teach me to do thy will;
For thou art my God:
^[c]Thy Spirit is good;
Lead me in ^[d]the land of uprightness.
¹¹ Quicken me, O Jehovah, for thy name’s sake:
In thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
¹² And in thy lovingkindness cut off mine enemies,
And destroy all them that afflict my soul;
For I am thy servant.