Chronological
Psalm 56
To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up;
he fighting daily oppresseth me.
2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up:
for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust;
I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5 Every day they wrest my words:
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They gather themselves together,
they hide themselves,
they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
8 Thou tellest my wanderings:
put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back:
this I know; for God is for me.
10 In God will I praise his word:
in the Lord will I praise his word.
11 In God have I put my trust:
I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12 Thy vows are upon me, O God:
I will render praises unto thee.
13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death:
wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Psalm 120
A Song of degrees.
1 In my distress I cried unto the Lord,
and he heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips,
and from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto thee?
or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty,
with coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech,
that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
7 I am for peace:
but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 140
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man:
preserve me from the violent man;
2 which 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 have purposed to overthrow my goings.
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 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 in 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.
Psalm 141
A Psalm of David.
1 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 forth 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 practise 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 an excellent oil, which shall not break my head:
for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown in 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 gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
whilst that I withal escape.
Psalm 142
Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave.
1 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 shewed 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.
KJV reproduced by permission of Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK.