Psalm 140-141

New International Version

Psalm 140^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

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

⁴Keep me safe,^(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;^(H)
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet.
⁵The 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.

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

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

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

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

¹I call to you, Lord, come quickly^(Y) to me;
hear me^(Z) when I call to you.
²May my prayer be set before you like incense;^(AA)
may the lifting up of my hands^(AB) be like the evening sacrifice.^(AC)

³Set a guard over my mouth,^(AD) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.^(AE)
⁴Do not let my heart^(AF) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds^(AG)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.^(AH)

⁵Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me^(AI)—that is oil on my head.^(AJ)
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

⁶Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,^(AK)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
⁷They will say, “As one plows^(AL) and breaks up the earth,^(AM)
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth^(AN) of the grave.”

⁸But my eyes are fixed^(AO) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge^(AP)—do not give me over to death.
⁹Keep me safe^(AQ) from the traps set by evildoers,^(AR)
    from the snares^(AS) they have laid for me.
¹⁰Let the wicked fall^(AT) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.^(AU)

Footnotes

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