Psalms 140-142

Psalm 140

¹To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from an evil man, From one of violence Thou keepest me.

²Who have devised evils in the heart, All the day they assemble for wars.

³They sharpened their tongue as a serpent, Poison of an adder is under their lips. Selah.

⁴Preserve me, Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked, From one of violence Thou keepest me, Who have devised to overthrow my steps.

⁵The proud hid a snare for me -- and cords, They spread a net by the side of the path, Snares they have set for me. Selah.

⁶I have said to Jehovah, ‘My God art Thou, Hear, Jehovah, the voice of my supplications.'

⁷O Jehovah, my Lord, strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of armour.

⁸Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked, His wicked device bring not forth, They are high. Selah.

⁹The chief of my surrounders, The perverseness of their lips covereth them.

¹⁰They cause to fall on themselves burning coals, Into fire He doth cast them, Into deep pits -- they arise not.

¹¹A talkative man is not established in the earth, One of violence -- evil hunteth to overflowing.

¹²I have known that Jehovah doth execute The judgment of the afflicted, The judgment of the needy.

¹³Only -- the righteous give thanks to Thy name, The upright do dwell with Thy presence!

Psalm 141

¹A Psalm, by David. O Jehovah, I have called Thee, haste to me, Give ear to my voice when I call to Thee.

²My prayer is prepared -- incense before Thee, The lifting up of my hands -- the evening present.

³Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.

⁴Incline not my heart to an evil thing, To do habitually actions in wickedness, With men working iniquity, Yea, I eat not of their pleasant things.

⁵The righteous doth beat me in kindness. And doth reprove me, Oil of the head my head disalloweth not, For still my prayer is about their vexations.

⁶Their judges have been released by the sides of a rock, And they have heard my sayings, For they have been pleasant.

⁷As one tilling and ripping up in the land, Have our bones been scattered at the command of Saul.

⁸But to Thee, O Jehovah, my Lord, are mine eyes, In Thee I have trusted, Make not bare my soul.

⁹Keep me from the gin they laid for me, Even snares of workers of iniquity.

¹⁰The wicked fall in their nets together, till I pass over!

Psalm 142

¹An Instruction of David, a Prayer when he is in the cave. My voice is unto Jehovah, I cry, My voice is unto Jehovah, I entreat grace.

²I pour forth before Him my meditation, My distress before Him I declare.

³When my spirit hath been feeble in me, Then Thou hast known my path; In the way in which I walk, They have hid a snare for me.

⁴Looking on the right hand -- and seeing, And I have none recognizing; Perished hath refuge from me, There is none inquiring for my soul.

⁵I have cried unto thee, O Jehovah, I have said, ‘Thou art my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.'

⁶Attend Thou unto my loud cry, For I have become very low, Deliver Thou me from my pursuers, For they have been stronger than I.

⁷Bring forth from prison my soul to confess Thy name, The righteous do compass me about, When Thou conferrest benefits upon me!