Psalms 140 to 144 : English Standard Version   | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

Other VersionsPsalm 140

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

140:1  Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, 2who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. 3They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps.  Selah

4Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. 5The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net;[1] beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

6I say to the Lord, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! 7O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. 8Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their[2] evil plot or they will be exalted! Selah

9As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 10Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise! 11Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

12I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. 13Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

[1] Or they have spread cords as a net  [2] Hebrew his


Psalm 141

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141:1  O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

3Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!

5Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 6When their judges are thrown over the cliff,[3] then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 7As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.[4]

8But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless![5] 9Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.

[3] Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock  [4] The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain  [5] Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!


Psalm 142

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil[6] of David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142:1  With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.

3When my spirit faints within me, you know my way! In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. 4Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.

5I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” 6Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! 7Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

[6] Probably a musical or liturgical term


Psalm 143

My Soul Thirsts for You

A Psalm of David.

143:1  Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! 2Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

3For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. 4Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.

5I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. 6I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

7Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 8Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

9Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge![7] 10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

11For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! 12And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

[7] One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts To you I have covered


Psalm 144

My Rock and My Fortress

Of David.

144:1  Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; 2he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples[8] under me.

3O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him? 4Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

5Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke! 6Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them! 7Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners, 8whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you, 10who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword. 11Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

12May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace; 13may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; 14may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;[9] may there be no cry of distress in our streets! 15Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

[8] Many Hebrew manuscripts, Dead Sea Scroll, Jerome, Syriac, Aquila; most Hebrew manuscripts subdues my people  [9] Hebrew with no breaking in or going out

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