Historical
140 1 David complaineth of the cruelty, falsehood and injuries of his enemies. 8 Against the which he prayeth unto the Lord, and assureth himself of his help and succor. 12 Wherefore he provoketh the just to praise the Lord, and to assure themselves of his tuition.
To him that excelleth. A Psalm of David.
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the [a]cruel man:
2 Which imagine evil things in their [b]heart, and make war continually.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: [c]adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep [d]me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the cruel man, which purposeth to cause my steps to slide.
5 The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net with cords in my pathway, and set gins for me. Selah.
6 Therefore I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my prayers.
7 O Lord God the strength of my salvation, thou [e]hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Let not the wicked have his desire, O Lord; [f]perform not his wicked thought, lest they be proud. Selah.
9 As for [g]the chief of them that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips come upon them.
10 Let coals fall upon them: let [h]him cast them into the fire, and into the deep pits that they rise not.
11 For the backbiter shall not be established upon the earth, evil shall [i]hunt the cruel man to destruction.
12 I know that the Lord will avenge the afflicted, and judge the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall praise thy Name, and the just shall [j]dwell in thy presence.
141 1 David being grievously persecuted under Saul, only fleeth unto God to have succor. 3 Desiring him to bridle his affections, that he may patiently abide till God take vengeance of his enemies.
A Psalm of David.
1 O Lord, I [k]call upon thee: haste thee unto me: hear my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense, and the [l]lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the [m]door of my lips.
4 Incline not mine heart to evil, that I should commit wicked works with them that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their [n]delicates.
5 Let the righteous smite me: for that is a benefit: and let [o]him reprove me, and it shall be a precious oil that shall not break mine head: for within a while I shall even [p]pray in their miseries.
6 When their judges shall be cast down in stony places, they shall [q]hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones lie scattered at the [r]grave’s mouth, as he that heweth wood or diggeth in the earth.
8 But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust: leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into [s]his nets [t]together, while I escape.
142 The Prophet neither astonied with fear, nor carried away with anger, nor forced by desperation, would kill Saul: but with a quiet mind directed his earnest prayer to God, who did preserve him.
A Psalm of David, to give instruction, and a prayer when he was in the cave.
1 I cried unto the Lord with my voice: with my voice I [u]prayed unto the Lord.
2 I poured out my meditation before him, and declared mine affection in his presence.
3 Though my spirit [v]was in perplexity in me, yet thou knewest my path: in the way wherein I walked, have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked upon my right hand, and beheld, but there was none that would know me: all refuge failed me, and [w]none cared for my soul.
5 Then cried I unto thee, O Lord, and said, Thou art mine [x]hope, and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Hearken unto my cry, for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring my soul out of [y]prison, that I may praise thy Name: then shall the righteous [z]come about me, when thou art beneficial unto me.
143 1 An earnest prayer for remission of sins, acknowledging that the enemies did thus cruelly persecute him by God’s just judgment. 8 He desireth to be restored to grace, 10 To be governeth by his holy Spirit, that he may spend the remnant of his life in the true fear and service of God.
A Psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and hearken unto my supplication: answer me in thy [aa]truth, and in thy [ab]righteousness.
2 (And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy [ac]sight shall none that liveth, be justified.)
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath smitten my life down to the earth: he hath laid me in the darkness, as they that have been dead [ad]long ago:
4 And my spirit was in perplexity in me, and mine [ae]heart within me was amazed.
5 Yet do I remember the time [af]past: I meditate in all thy works, yea, I do meditate in the works of thine hands.
6 I stretch forth mine hands unto thee: my soul desireth after thee, as the thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord, for my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, else I shall be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 Let me hear thy loving-kindness in the [ag]morning, for in thee is my trust; [ah]show me the way, that I should walk in, for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: for [ai]I hid me with thee.
10 [aj]Teach me to [ak]do thy will, for thou art my God: let thy good Spirit lead me unto the land of righteousness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake, and for thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And for thy mercy [al]slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that oppress my soul: for I am thy [am]servant.
144 He praiseth the Lord with great affection and humility for his kingdom restored, and for his victories obtained. 5 Demanding help, and the destruction of the wicked, 9 Promising to acknowledge the same with songs of praises, 15 And declareth wherein the felicity of any people consisteth.
A Psalm of David.
1 Blessed be the Lord my strength, which [an]teacheth mine hands to fight, and my fingers to battle.
2 He is my goodness and my fortress, my tower and [ao]my deliverer, my shield and in him I trust, [ap]which subdueth my people under me.
3 Lord, what is man that thou [aq]regardest him! or the son of man that thou thinkest upon him?
4 Man is like to vanity; his days are like a shadow that vanisheth.
5 [ar]Bow thine heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6 [as]Cast forth the lightning and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows and consume them.
7 Send thine hand from above: deliver me, and take me out of the great [at]waters, and from the hand of strangers,
8 Whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand [au]of falsehood.
9 I will sing a [av]new song unto thee, O God, and sing unto thee upon a viol, and an instrument of ten strings.
10 It is he that giveth deliverance unto kings, and rescueth David his [aw]servant from the hurtful sword.
11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of strangers, whose mouth talketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
12 [ax]That our sons may be as the plants growing up in their youth, and our daughters as the corner stones, graven after the similitude of a palace:
13 That our [ay]corners may be full and abounding with divers sorts, and that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousand in our streets.
14 That our [az]oxen may be strong to labor; that there be none invasion, nor going out, nor no crying in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people, that be [ba]so, yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.
145 This Psalm was composed when the kingdom of David flourished. 1 Wherein he describeth the wonderful providence of God, as well in governing man, as in preserving all the rest of his creatures. 17 He praiseth God for his justice and mercy. 18 But specially for his loving-kindness toward those that call upon him, that fear him, and love him: 21 For the which he promiseth to praise him forever.
A Psalm of David of praise.
1 O my God and King, [bb]I will extol thee, and will bless thy Name forever and ever.
2 I will bless thee daily, and praise thy Name forever and ever.
3 [bc]Great is the Lord, and most worthy to be praised, and his greatness is incomprehensible.
4 Generation shall praise thy works unto [bd]generation, and declare thy power.
5 I will meditate of the beauty of thy glorious majesty, and thy wonderful works.
6 And they shall speak of the power of thy [be]dreadful acts, and I will declare thy greatness.
7 They shall break out into the mention of thy great goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
8 (A)The Lord is gracious, and [bf]merciful, slow to anger, and of great mercy.
9 The Lord is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works.
10 All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy Saints bless thee.
11 [bg]They show the glory of thy kingdom, and speak of thy power,
12 To cause his [bh]power to be known to the sons of men, and the glorious renown of his kingdom.
13 Thy (B)kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
14 The Lord upholdeth all that [bi]fall, and lifteth up all that are ready to fall.
15 The eyes of [bj]all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16 Thou openest thine hand, and fillest all things living of thy good pleasure.
17 The Lord is [bk]righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
18 The Lord is near unto all that call upon him, yea, to all that call upon him in [bl]truth.
19 He will fulfill the [bm]desire of them that fear him; he will also hear their cry, and will save them.
20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him; but he will destroy the wicked.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all [bn]flesh shall bless his holy Name forever and ever.
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