Beginning
Protection from the Wicked
Psalm 140
1 For the music director: a psalm of David.
2 Rescue me, Adonai, from the evil man.
Protect me from the violent men—
3 who devise evil in their heart—
every day they stir up wars.
4 They sharpen their tongue like a serpent’s
—viper’s venom is under their lips.[a] Selah
5 Keep me safe, Adonai, from the clutches of the wicked.
Protect me from the man of violence who planned to push me off my feet.
6 The proud have hidden a trap and cords for me.
They spread out a net by the path.
They set snares for me. Selah
7 I said to Adonai: “You are my God!”
Hear, Adonai, the sound of my supplications.
8 God my Lord, the strength of my deliverance,
You shield my head in the day of battle.
9 Grant not, Adonai, the desires of the wicked.
Do not let their evil plan succeed,
or they will exalt themselves. Selah
10 As for the head of those surrounding me,
may the mischief of their lips overwhelm them.
11 Let burning coals fall upon them.
May they be cast into the fire, into deep pits,
never to rise again.[b]
12 May a slanderer not endure in the land.
May calamity hunt down a violent man.
13 I know Adonai will vindicate the poor,
and secure justice for the needy.
14 Surely, the righteous ones will praise Your name.
The upright will dwell in Your presence.
Evening Petition for Protection
Psalm 141
1 A psalm of David.
Adonai, I call to You—come quickly to me!
Hear my voice when I call to You.
2 May my prayer be set before You like incense.
May the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard, Adonai, over my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Let not my heart turn to any evil thing,
to practice deeds of wickedness
with men that work iniquity,
nor let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me—it is kindness.
Let him correct me—it is oil on my head
—my head will not refuse it.
Yet still my prayer is against their wickedness.
6 Their judges are thrown down from a cliff.
Then they will hear my words, since they are sweet.
7 As when one plows and breaks open the earth,
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 For my eyes are toward You, God my Lord.
In You I have taken refuge—do not expose my soul.
9 Keep me from the jaws of the trap they have laid for me,
and from the snares of the evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
A Refuge from Trouble
Psalm 142
1 A contemplative poem of David, when he was in the cave, a prayer.
2 I cry aloud with my voice to Adonai.
With my voice I seek favor from Adonai.
3 I pour out my complaint before Him,
before Him I tell my trouble.
4 When my spirit grows faint within me,
You know my path.
In the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
5 Look at my right hand and see,
for no one cares about me.
I have no refuge—
no one cares for my soul.
6 I have cried out to You, Adonai.
I said: “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
7 Listen to my cry,
for I am brought very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
8 Bring my soul out of prison,
so I may praise Your Name.
The righteous will triumph through me,
for You will reward me.
Hide Not Your Face from Me
Psalm 143
1 A psalm of David.
Hear my prayer, Adonai,
give ear to my petitions.
In Your faithfulness and Your righteousness,
answer me!
2 Do not bring Your servant into judgment,
for in Your eyes no one living is righteous.
3 For an enemy pursues my soul.
He crushes my life down to the ground.
He makes me dwell in darkness, like those long dead.
4 So my spirit grows faint within me.
My heart is shocked within me.
5 I remember the days of old.
I meditate on all You have done.
I ponder the work of Your hands.
6 I spread forth my hands to You.
My soul longs for You as a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me speedily, Adonai—my spirit fails.
Hide not Your face from me,
lest I become like those who go down into the Pit.
8 Make me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
for in You I trust.
Show me the way I should go,
for to You I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, Adonai.
I hide myself in You.
10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.
Let Your good Ruach lead me on level ground.
11 For Your Name’s sake, Adonai, revive me.
In Your justice bring my soul out of trouble.
12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies
and destroy all who harass my soul,
for I am Your servant.
Rescue from Battle
Psalm 144
1 Of David.
Blessed be Adonai my Rock—
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
2 He is my lovingkindness, my fortress,
my strong tower, and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues my people under me.
3 Adonai, what is man, that You take note of him?
Or the son of man, that You consider him?[c]
4 Man is like a breath—
his days are like a passing shadow.
5 Adonai, part Your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains, so they smoke.
6 Flash forth lightning and scatter them.
Send out Your arrows and confuse them.
7 Stretch forth Your hands from on high.
Snatch me, deliver me out of deep waters,
out of the hand of foreigners,
8 whose mouth speaks falsehood,
whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
9 God, I sing a new song to You, on a ten-string harp
I sing praises to You—
10 who gives salvation to kings,
who rescues Your servant David from the evil sword.
11 Snatch me, deliver me
out of the hand of foreigners,
whose mouth speaks falsehood,
whose right hand is a right hand of deceit.
12 Then our sons will be like plants nurtured in their youth,
our daughters like corner pillars carved for the construction of a palace.
13 Our storehouses are full,
supplying every kind of produce.
Our flocks increase by thousands
and ten thousands in our fields.
14 Our oxen bear a heavy load.
There is no breach,
no going into captivity,
no outcry in our streets.
15 Happy are such a people!
Blessed are the people whose God is Adonai!
Glory of the Kingdom
Psalm 145
1 A psalm of praise. Of David.
I will exalt You, my God, the King,
and I will bless Your Name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
and praise Your Name forever and ever!
3 Great is Adonai, and greatly to be praised
—His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation will praise Your works
to another and declare Your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor
of Your majesty and Your wonders.
6 They will speak of the might of Your awesome deeds,
and I will proclaim Your greatness.
7 They will pour out the renown of Your great goodness,
and sing joyfully of Your righteousness.
8 Adonai is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
9 Adonai is good to all.
He has compassion on all His creatures.
10 All Your works praise You, Adonai,
and Your kedoshim bless You.
11 They declare the glory of Your kingdom
and speak of Your might,
12 to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts
and the glory of the majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
and Your dominion endures from generation to generation.
14 Adonai upholds all who fall
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You
and You give them their food on time.
16 You open Your hand
and satisfy every living thing with favor.
17 Adonai is righteous in all His ways
and kind in all His deeds.
18 Adonai is near to all who call on Him,
to all who call on Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him.
He will hear their cry and save them.
20 Adonai watches over all who love Him,
but all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth declares the praise of Adonai.
Let all flesh bless His holy Name forever and ever!
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.