Psalm 140

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 Ps. 71:4;119:153,170Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from Ps. 18:48;Prov. 3:31violent men,

2 who plan evil things in their heart

and See Ps. 56:6stir up wars continually.

3 They make [Ps. 52:2] their tongue sharp as Ps. 58:4a serpent’s,

and Ps. 10:7under their lips is the Cited Rom. 3:13venom of asps. Selah

4 Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

preserve me from [See ver. 1above]violent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

5 The arrogant have Ps. 35:7;141:9;142:3;Jer. 18:22hidden a trap for me,

and with cords they have spread Job 18:8-10a net;140:5 Or they have spread cords as a net

beside the way they have set Ps. 64:5snares for me. Selah

6 Ps. 142:5I say to the Lord, You are my God;

give ear to Ps. 28:2;31:22;130:2the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!

7 O Lord, my Lord, Ps. 28:8the strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 [Ps. 35:25] Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

do not further their140:8 Hebrew his evil plot, or Isa. 14:21they will be exalted! Selah

9 As for the head of those who surround me,

let [Prov. 12:13;18:7]; See Ps. 7:16the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

10 Let [Ps. 11:6;18:13]burning coals fall upon them!

Let them be cast into fire,

into miry pits, no more to rise!

11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land;

let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

12 I know that the Lord will Ps. 9:4maintain the cause of the afflicted,

and 1 Kgs. 8:45,49,59will execute justice for the needy.

13 Surely [Ps. 64:10] the righteous shall give thanks to your name;

[Ps. 11:7]the upright shall dwell in your presence.