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Psalm 140-143
New International Version
Psalm 140-143
New International Version
Psalm 140[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me,(A) Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,(B)
2 who devise evil plans(C) in their hearts
and stir up war(D) every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as(E) a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers(F) is on their lips.[b]
4 Keep me safe,(G) Lord, from the hands of the wicked;(H)
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 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.
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”(L)
Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.(M)
7 Sovereign Lord,(N) my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked(O) their desires, Lord;
do not let their plans succeed.
9 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)
Psalm 141
A psalm of David.
1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly(Y) to me;
hear me(Z) when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;(AA)
may the lifting up of my hands(AB) be like the evening sacrifice.(AC)
3 Set a guard over my mouth,(AD) Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.(AE)
4 Do 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)
5 Let 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.
6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(AK)
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 They 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.”
8 But my eyes are fixed(AO) on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge(AP)—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me safe(AQ) from the traps set by evildoers,(AR)
from the snares(AS) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(AT) into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.(AU)
Psalm 142[c]
A maskil[d] of David. When he was in the cave.(AV) A prayer.
1 I cry aloud(AW) to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.(AX)
2 I pour out before him my complaint;(AY)
before him I tell my trouble.(AZ)
3 When my spirit grows faint(BA) within me,
it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
people have hidden a snare for me.
4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;(BB)
no one cares(BC) for my life.
6 Listen to my cry,(BG)
for I am in desperate need;(BH)
rescue me(BI) from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong(BJ) for me.
7 Set me free from my prison,(BK)
that I may praise your name.(BL)
Then the righteous will gather about me
because of your goodness to me.(BM)
Psalm 143
A psalm of David.
1 Lord, hear my prayer,(BN)
listen to my cry for mercy;(BO)
in your faithfulness(BP) and righteousness(BQ)
come to my relief.
2 Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous(BR) before you.
3 The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness(BS)
like those long dead.(BT)
4 So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.(BU)
5 I remember(BV) the days of long ago;
I meditate(BW) on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
6 I spread out my hands(BX) to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.[e]
7 Answer me quickly,(BY) Lord;
my spirit fails.(BZ)
Do not hide your face(CA) from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,(CB)
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way(CC) I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.(CD)
9 Rescue me(CE) from my enemies,(CF) Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
10 Teach me(CG) to do your will,
for you are my God;(CH)
may your good Spirit
lead(CI) me on level ground.(CJ)
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.
- Psalm 142:1 In Hebrew texts 142:1-7 is numbered 142:2-8.
- Psalm 142:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 143:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
Psalm 140-143
King James Version
Psalm 140-143
King James Version
140 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
141 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
142 I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.
2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
5 I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
7 Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
11 Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.
New International Version (NIV) 
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