Psalms 140
David pleads with the LORD to rescue him from violent and evil men who sharpen their tongues like serpents and plot his downfall. He trusts that the LORD upholds the cause of the afflicted and the rights of the poor, and prays that the mischief of the wicked falls back on their own heads.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; | Rescue me, LORD, from evildoers; protect me from the violent, |
| 2 | Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. | who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day. |
| 3 | They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. | They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips. |
| 4 | Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. | Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet. |
| 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. | The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and set traps for me along my path. |
| 6 | I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. | I say to the LORD, "You are my God." Hear, LORD, my cry for mercy. |
| 7 | O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. | O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have 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. | Do not grant the wicked their desires, LORD; do not let their plans succeed, or they will become proud. |
| 9 | As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. | May the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused. |
| 10 | Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. | May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to rise. |
| 11 | Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. | May slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down the violent. |
| 12 | I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. | I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. |
| 13 | Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. | Surely the righteous will praise your name, and the upright will live in Your presence. |