Old/New Testament
To the Music Director: A Davidic Song
A Prayer for Deliverance
140 [a]Deliver me, Lord, from evil people,
preserve me from violent men,
2 who craft evil plans in their minds,
inciting wars every day.[b]
3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
the venom of vipers is on their lips.
4 Protect me, Lord, from the control of evil people,
from violent men who have planned to trip me.
5 The arrogant have laid a trap for me;
they have spread a net with ropes,
lining it with snares along the way.
6 So I say to the Lord, “You are my God;
listen to my voice
as I plead for mercy, Lord.
7 Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
you have protected my head in the time[c] of battle.
8 Never grant, Lord, the desires of the wicked;
never condone their plans
so they cannot exalt themselves.
9 May those who surround me discover
that the trouble they talk about falls on their own head!
10 May burning coals fall on them;
may they be cast into fire,
and into miry pits, never to rise again.
11 Let not the slanderer[d] become established in the land.
May evil quickly hunt down the violent man.
12 I know that the Lord will act on behalf of the tormented,
providing justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name,
while the upright live in your presence.
A Davidic Song
A Prayer for Maturity
141 Lord, I call to you,
be quick to listen to me when I cry out!
2 Let my prayer be like incense offered before you,
and my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, set a guard over my mouth;
keep watch over the door to my lips.
4 Don’t let my heart turn toward evil
or involve itself in wicked activities
with men who practice iniquity.
Let me not feast on their delicacies.
5 Let one who is righteous strike me;
It is an act of gracious love.
Let him rebuke me,
because it is oil for my head;
do not let my head refuse it.
My prayers continuously will be
against their wicked activities.
6 When their judges are thrown off the cliff,
the people[e] will hear my words,
for they are appropriate.
7 Just as one plows and breaks up the earth,
our[f] bones are scattered
near the entrance to the place of the dead.[g]
8 Nevertheless, my eyes are on you, Lord God,
as I seek protection in you.
Don’t leave me defenseless!
9 Protect me from the trap laid for me
and from the snares of those who practice evil.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I come through.
A Davidic Song, when he was in the cave.[h] A prayer.
A Call to God for Help
142 My voice cries out to the Lord;
my voice pleads for mercy to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint to him,
telling him all of my troubles.
3 Though my spirit grows faint within me,
you are aware of my path.
Wherever I go,
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 I look to my right[i] and observe—
no one is concerned about me.
There is nowhere I can go for refuge,
and no one cares for me.
5 So I cry to you, Lord,
declaring, “You are my refuge,
my only[j] possession while I am on this earth.”[k]
6 Pay attention to my cry,
for I have been brought very low.
Deliver me from my tormentors,
for they are far too strong for me.
7 Break me out of this prison,
so I can give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal generously with me.
Prophecy and Languages
14 Keep on pursuing love, and keep on desiring spiritual gifts, especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For the person who speaks in a foreign[a] language is not actually speaking to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands him, because he is talking about secrets by the Spirit.[b] 3 But the person who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and comfort. 4 The person who speaks in a foreign language builds himself up, but the person who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I wish that all of you could speak in foreign languages, but especially that you could prophesy. The person who prophesies is more important than the person who speaks in a foreign language, unless he interprets it so that the church may be built up.
6 Indeed, brothers, if I come to you speaking in foreign languages, what good will I be to you unless I speak to you in some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching? 7 In the same way, lifeless instruments like the flute or harp produce sounds. But if there’s no difference in the notes, how can a person tell what tune is being played? 8 For example, if a bugle doesn’t sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 In the same way, unless you speak an intelligible message with your language, how will anyone know what is being said? You’ll be talking into the air!
10 There are, I suppose, many different languages[c] in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If I don’t know the meaning of the language,[d] I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12 In the same way, since you’re so desirous of spiritual gifts, you must keep on desiring them for building up the church.
13 Therefore, the person who speaks in a foreign language should pray for the ability to interpret it. 14 For if I pray in a foreign language, my spirit prays but my mind is not productive. 15 What does this mean? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing psalms with my spirit, but I will also sing psalms with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you say a blessing with your spirit, how can an otherwise uneducated person[e] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you’re saying? 17 It’s good for you to give thanks, but it does not build up the other person. 18 I thank God that I speak in foreign languages more than all of you. 19 But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.
20 Brothers, stop being[f] childish in your thinking. Be like infants with respect to evil, but think like adults.
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