Beginning
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
140 Lord, save me from sinful people.
Keep me safe from those who want to hurt me.
2 They make evil plans in their hearts.
They are always starting fights.
3 Their tongues are as deadly as the tongue of a serpent.
The words from their lips are like the poison of a snake.
4 Lord, keep me safe from the hands of sinful people.
Protect me from those who want to hurt me.
They plan ways to trip me up and make me fall.
5 Proud people have hidden their traps to catch me.
They have spread out their nets.
They have set traps for me along my path.
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Lord, hear my cry for mercy.
7 Lord and King, you save me because you are strong.
You are like a shield that keeps me safe in the day of battle.
8 Lord, don’t give sinners what they want.
Don’t let their plans succeed.
9 Those who are all around me proudly raise their heads.
May the trouble they planned for me happen to them.
10 May burning coals fall on people like that.
May they be thrown into the fire.
May they be thrown into muddy pits and never get out.
11 Don’t let people who lie about me be secure in the land.
May trouble hunt down those who want to hurt me.
12 I know that the Lord makes sure that poor people are treated fairly.
He stands up for those who are in need.
13 I’m sure that those who do right will praise your name.
Those who are honest will live with you.
A psalm of David.
141 I call out to you, Lord. Come quickly to help me.
Listen to me when I call out to you.
2 May my prayer come to you like the sweet smell of incense.
When I lift up my hands in prayer, may it be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, guard my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Don’t let my heart be drawn to what is evil.
Don’t let me join with people who do evil.
Don’t let me eat their fancy food.
5 If a godly person hit me, it would be an act of kindness.
If they would correct me, it would be like pouring olive oil on my head.
I wouldn’t say no to it.
I will always pray against the things that sinful people do.
6 When their rulers are thrown down from the rocky cliffs,
those evil people will realize that my words were true.
7 They will say, “As clumps of dirt are left from plowing up the ground,
so our bones will be scattered near an open grave.”
8 But Lord and King, I keep looking to you for help.
I go to you for safety. Don’t let me die.
9 Keep me from the traps of those who do evil.
Save me from the traps they have set for me.
10 Let evil people fall into their own nets.
But let me go safely on my way.
A prayer of David when he was in the cave. A maskil.
142 I call out to the Lord.
I pray to him for mercy.
2 I pour out my problem to him.
I tell him about my trouble.
3 When I grow weak,
you are watching over my life.
In the path where I walk,
people have hidden a trap to catch me.
4 Look and see that no one is on my right side to help me.
No one is concerned about me.
I have no place of safety.
No one cares whether I live or die.
5 Lord, I cry out to you.
I say, “You are my place of safety.
You are everything I need in this life.”
6 Listen to my cry.
I am in great need.
Save me from those who are chasing me.
They are too strong for me.
7 My troubles are like a prison.
Set me free so I can praise your name.
Then those who do what is right will gather around me
because you have been good to me.
A psalm of David.
143 Lord, hear my prayer.
Listen to my cry for mercy.
You are faithful and right.
Come and help me.
2 Don’t take me to court and judge me,
because in your eyes no living person does what is right.
3 My enemies chase me.
They crush me down to the ground.
They make me live in the darkness
like those who died long ago.
4 So I grow weak.
Deep down inside me, I’m afraid.
5 I remember what happened long ago.
I spend time thinking about all your acts.
I consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands to you in prayer.
I’m thirsty for you, just as dry ground is thirsty for rain.
7 Lord, answer me quickly.
I’m growing weak.
Don’t turn your face away from me,
or I will be like those who go down into the grave.
8 In the morning let me hear about your faithful love,
because I’ve put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should live,
because I trust you with my life.
9 Lord, save me from my enemies,
because I go to you for safety.
10 Teach me to do what you want,
because you are my God.
May your good Spirit
lead me on a level path.
11 Lord, bring yourself honor by keeping me alive.
Because you do what is right, get me out of trouble.
12 Because your love is faithful, put an end to my enemies.
Destroy all of them, because I serve you.
A psalm of David.
144 Give praise to the Lord, my Rock.
He trains my hands for war.
He trains my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and is like a fort to me.
He is my place of safety and the God who saves me.
He is like a shield that keeps me safe.
He brings nations under my control.
3 Lord, what are human beings that you take care of them?
What are mere people that you think about them?
4 Their lives don’t last any longer than a breath.
Their days are like a shadow that quickly disappears.
5 Lord, open up your heavens and come down.
Touch the mountains, and they will pour out smoke.
6 Send flashes of lightning and scatter my enemies.
Shoot your arrows and chase them away.
7 My enemies are like a mighty flood.
Reach down from heaven and save me.
Save me from outsiders who attack me.
8 They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths.
Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it.
9 My God, I will sing a new song to you.
I will make music to you on a lyre that has ten strings.
10 You are the God who helps kings win battles.
You save your servant David.
From death by the sword 11 save me.
Set me free from outsiders who attack me.
They tell all kinds of lies with their mouths.
Even when they make a promise by raising their right hands, they don’t mean it.
12 While our sons are young,
they will be like healthy plants.
Our daughters will be like pillars
that have been made to decorate a palace.
13 Our storerooms will be filled
with every kind of food.
The sheep in our fields will increase by thousands.
They will increase by tens of thousands.
14 Our oxen will pull heavy loads.
None of our city walls will be broken down.
No one will be carried off as a prisoner.
No cries of pain will be heard in our streets.
15 Blessed is the nation about whom all these things are true.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
A psalm of praise. A psalm of David.
145 I will honor you, my God the King.
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you.
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
3 Lord, you are great. You are really worthy of praise.
No one can completely understand how great you are.
4 Parents praise your works to their children.
They tell about your mighty acts.
5 They speak about your glorious majesty.
I will spend time thinking about your wonderful deeds.
6 They speak about the powerful and wonderful things you do.
I will talk about the great things you have done.
7 They celebrate your great goodness.
They sing for joy about your holy acts.
8 The Lord is gracious, kind and tender.
He is slow to get angry and full of love.
9 The Lord is good to all.
He shows deep concern for everything he has made.
10 Lord, all your works praise you.
Your faithful people praise you.
11 They tell about your glorious kingdom.
They speak about your power.
12 Then all people will know about the mighty things you have done.
They will know about the glorious majesty of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.
Your rule will continue for all time to come.
The Lord will keep all his promises.
He is faithful in everything he does.
14 The Lord takes good care of all those who fall.
He lifts up all those who feel helpless.
15 Every living thing looks to you for food.
You give it to them exactly when they need it.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.
17 The Lord is right in everything he does.
He is faithful in everything he does.
18 The Lord is ready to help all those who call out to him.
He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him.
19 He satisfies the needs of those who have respect for him.
He hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all those who love him.
But he will destroy all sinful people.
21 I will praise the Lord with my mouth.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
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