^2 (1) Hear my voice, God, as I plead:
preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
^3 (2) Hide me from the secret intrigues of the wicked
and the open insurrection of evildoers.
^4 (3) They sharpen their tongues like a sword;
they aim their arrows, poisoned words,
^5 (4) in order to shoot from cover at the innocent,
shooting suddenly and fearing nothing.
^6 (5) They support each other’s evil plans;
they talk of hiding snares
and ask, “Who would see them?”
^7 (6) They search for ways to commit crimes,
bringing their diligent search to completion
when each of them has thought it through
in the depth of his heart.

^8 (7) Suddenly God shoots them down with an arrow,
leaving them with wounds;
^9 (8) their own tongues make them stumble.
All who see them shake their heads.
^10 (9) Everyone is awestruck —
they acknowledge that it is God at work,
they understand what he has done.
^11 (10) The righteous will rejoice in Adonai;
they will take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will exult.