Chronological

56 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. Set to “The Silent Dove in the Distance.” By David; a mikhtam, when the P’lishtim captured him in Gat:

^2 (1) Show me favor, God;
for people are trampling me down —
all day they fight and press on me.
^3 (2) Those who are lying in wait for me
would trample on me all day.
For those fighting against me are many.

Most High, ^4 (3) when I am afraid,
I put my trust in you.
^5 (4) In God — I praise his word —
in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can human power do to me?
^6 (5) All day long they twist my words;
their only thought is to harm me.
^7 (6) They gather together and hide themselves,
spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.
^8 (7) Because of their crime, they cannot escape;
in anger, God, strike down the peoples.
^9 (8) You have kept count of my wanderings;
store my tears in your water-skin —
aren’t they already recorded in your book?
^10 (9) Then my enemies will turn back
on the day when I call;
this I know: that God is for me.

^11 (10) In God — I praise his word —
in Adonai — I praise his word —
^12 (11) in God I trust; I have no fear;
what can mere humans do to me?

^13 (12) God, I have made vows to you;
I will fulfill them with thank offerings to you.
^14 (13) For you rescued me from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling,
so that I can walk in God’s presence,
in the light of life.

120 ⁽⁰⁾ A song of ascents:

⁽¹⁾ I called to Adonai in my distress,
and he answered me.
² Rescue me, Adonai, from lips that tell lies,
from a tongue full of deceit.

³ What has he in store for you, deceitful tongue?
What more will he do to you?
⁴ A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with red-hot coals from a broom tree.

⁵ How wretched I am, that I’m an alien in Meshekh,
that I must live among the tents of Keidar!
⁶ I have had to live far too long
with those who hate peace.
⁷ I am all for peace;
but when I speak, they are for war.

140 ⁽⁰⁾ For the leader. A psalm of David:

^2 (1) Rescue me, Adonai, from evil people,
protect me from violent people.
^3 (2) They plan evil things in their hearts —
they continually stir up bitter strife.
^4 (3) They have made their tongues as sharp as a snake’s;
viper’s venom is under their lips. (Selah)

^5 (4) Keep me, Adonai, from the hands of the wicked,
protect me from violent people
who are trying to trip me up.
^6 (5) The arrogant hide snares for me;
they spread nets by the side of the road,
hoping to trap me there. (Selah)

^7 (6) I said to Adonai, “You are my God;
listen, Adonai, to my plea for mercy.”
^8 (7) Adonai, Adonai, my saving strength,
my helmet shielding my head in battle,
^9 (8) Adonai, don’t grant the wicked their wishes;
make their plot fail, so they won’t grow proud. (Selah)
^10 (9) May the heads of those who surround me
be engulfed in the evil they spoke of, themselves.
^11 (10) May burning coals rain down on them,
may they be flung into the fire,
flung into deep pits,
never to rise again.
^12 (11) Let slanderers find no place in the land;
let the violent and evil be hunted relentlessly.

^13 (12) I know that Adonai gives justice to the poor
and maintains the rights of the needy.
^14 (13) The righteous will surely give thanks to your name;
the upright will live in your presence.

141 ⁽⁰⁾ A psalm of David:

⁽¹⁾ Adonai, I have called you; come to me quickly!
Listen to my plea when I call to you.
² Let my prayer be like incense set before you,
my uplifted hands like an evening sacrifice.

³ Set a guard, Adonai, over my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.
⁴ Don’t let my heart turn to anything evil
or allow me to act wickedly
with men who are evildoers;
keep me from eating their delicacies.

⁵ Let the righteous strike me, let him correct me;
it will be an act of love.
Let my head not refuse such choice oil,
for I will keep on praying about their wickedness.
⁶ When their rulers are thrown down from the cliff,
[the wicked] will hear that my words were fitting.
⁷ As when one plows and breaks the ground into clods,
our bones are strewn at the mouth of Sh’ol.

⁸ For my eyes, Adonai, Adonai, are on you;
in you I take refuge; don’t pour out my life.
⁹ Keep me from the trap they have set for me,
from the snares of evildoers.
¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.

142 ⁽⁰⁾ A maskil of David, when he was in the cave. A prayer:

^2 (1) With my voice I cry to Adonai,
with my voice I plead to Adonai for mercy.
^3 (2) Before him I pour out my complaint,
before him I tell my trouble.
^4 (3) When my spirit faints within me,
you watch over my path.
By the road that I am walking
they have hidden a snare for me.
^5 (4) Look to my right, and see
that no one recognizes me.
I have no way of escape;
nobody cares for me.

^6 (5) I cried out to you, Adonai;
I said, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
^7 (6) Listen to my cry,
for I have been brought very low.

Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
^8 (7) Lead me out of prison,
so that I can give thanks to your name;
in me the righteous will be crowning themselves,
because you will have treated me generously.