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To the director: A praise song of David.

140 Lord, save me from people who are evil.
    Protect me from those who are cruel,
from those who plan to do evil
    and always cause trouble.
Their words are as harmful as the fangs of a snake,
    as deadly as its venom. Selah

Lord, save me from the wicked!
    Protect me from these cruel people who plan to hurt me.
These proud people are trying to trap me.
    They spread nets to catch me;
    they set traps in my path. Selah

Lord, you are my God.
    Lord, listen to my prayer.
My Lord God, you are the powerful one who saves me.
    You protect my head in battle.
Lord, don’t let the wicked have what they want.
    Don’t let their plans succeed. Selah

My enemies are planning trouble for me.
    Lord, make that trouble fall on them.
10 Pour burning coals on their heads.
    Throw them into the fire.
    Throw them into pits they can never escape.
11 Don’t let those cruel liars enjoy success here.
    Let disaster hunt them down.
12 I know the Lord will provide justice for the poor
    and will defend the helpless.
13 Those who do what is right will praise your name;
    those who are honest will live in your presence.

Psalm 140[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

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

Keep me safe,(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
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.

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

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.