Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close EASY

Psalm 140
EasyEnglish Bible

This is a song that David wrote.

It is for the music leader.

Please help me, Lord

140 Lord, please save me from evil people.
    Keep me safe from people who like to attack others.
2 They think of evil ideas to hurt people.
    They only want to cause trouble!
3 Their words hurt people,
    like the tongue of a snake.
They bite with poison,
    like a dangerous snake.
Selah
4 Lord, keep me safe from the power of wicked people.
    Keep me safe from violent people who want to attack me.
5 Proud people have prepared a trap to catch me.
    They have put their nets across my path.[a]
Selah.
6 Lord, I say to you, ‘You are my God.’
    Lord, hear my prayer for help!
7 Lord, my Lord, you are my strong helper.
    You keep me safe when I fight in a battle.
8 Lord, do not let wicked people do what they want to do.
    Stop them when they prepare to attack.
Selah.
9 Give trouble to the people who come round me to attack!
Let the bad things that they say against me
    happen to them instead![b]
10 Drop burning coals on them like rain!
    Throw those people into the fire!
Let them fall into deep holes that they cannot get out of!
11 People who tell cruel lies should not live in our land.
Trouble will happen to people who like to fight.
    Bad trouble will knock them down!
12 I know that the Lord helps poor people.
    He makes sure that they receive justice.
13 Your righteous people will always praise you.
    Good, honest people will live near to you.

Footnotes

  1. 140:5 People used traps and nets to catch animals and birds. These bad people wanted to catch David. It is like they hid their traps and nets to catch him.
  2. 140:9 David is praying. He wants the trouble that he has to go to his enemies instead.
Listen to Psalm 140
Close NIV

Psalm 140
New International Version

Psalm 140[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

1 Rescue me,(A) Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,(B)
2 who devise evil plans(C) in their hearts
    and stir up war(D) every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as(E) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers(F) is on their lips.[b]

4 Keep me safe,(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare(I) for me;
    they have spread out the cords of their net(J)
    and have set traps(K) for me along my path.

6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”(L)
    Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.(M)
7 Sovereign Lord,(N) my strong deliverer,
    you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked(O) their desires, Lord;
    do not let their plans succeed.

9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
    may the mischief of their lips engulf them.(P)
10 May burning coals fall on them;
    may they be thrown into the fire,(Q)
    into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
    may disaster hunt down the violent.(R)

12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor(S)
    and upholds the cause(T) of the needy.(U)
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,(V)
    and the upright will live(W) in your presence.(X)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:1 In Hebrew texts 140:1-13 is numbered 140:2-14.
  2. Psalm 140:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 8.
Next
Psalm 139
Psalm 141
Next
dropdown
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)

EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV