Psalm 140

New King James Version

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
Preserve me from violent men,
²Who plan evil things in their hearts;
^(A)They continually gather together for war.
³They sharpen their tongues like a serpent;
The ^(B)poison of asps is under their lips. Selah

⁴^(C)Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
Preserve me from violent men,
Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
⁵The proud have hidden a ^(D)snare for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah

⁶I said to the Lord: “You are my God;
Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
⁷O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have ^[a]covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further his wicked scheme,
^(E)Lest they be exalted. Selah

⁹“As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the evil of their lips cover them;
¹⁰^(F)Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be cast into the fire,
Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
¹¹Let not a slanderer be established in the earth;
Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him.”

¹²I know that the Lord will ^(G)maintain
The cause of the afflicted,
And justice for the poor.
¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name;
The upright shall dwell in Your presence.