1 Lord my God, I seek refuge in you;  *

save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,  *

2 or they  * will tear me like a lion,

ripping me apart with no one to rescue me.  *

3 Lord my God, if I have done this,

if there is injustice on my hands,  *

4 if I have done harm to one at peace with me  *

or have plundered  * my adversary without cause,  *

5 may an enemy pursue and overtake me;

may he trample me to the ground  *

and leave my honor in the dust.  *Selah

6 Rise up, Lord, in your anger;

lift yourself up against the fury of my adversaries;  *

awake for me;  *,*

you have ordained a judgment.  *

7 Let the assembly of peoples gather around you;  *

take your seat on high over it.  *

8 The Lord judges the peoples;  *

vindicate me, Lord,

according to my righteousness and my integrity.  *

9 Let the evil of the wicked come to an end,  *

but establish the righteous.  *

The one who examines the thoughts and emotions  *

is a righteous God.  *

10 My shield is with God,  *

who saves the upright in heart.  *

11 God is a righteous judge

and a God who shows his wrath every day.  *

12 If anyone does not repent,

he will sharpen his sword;  *

he has strung his bow and made it ready.  *

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;

he tips his arrows with fire.  *

14 See, the wicked one is pregnant with evil,

conceives trouble, and gives birth to deceit.  *

15 He dug a pit and hollowed it out

but fell into the hole he had made.  *

16 His trouble comes back on his own head;

his own violence comes down on top of his head.  *

17 I will thank the Lord for his righteousness;

I will sing about the name of the  Lord Most High.  *