Psalms 140; Psalms 141; Psalms 142; Psalms 143; Psalms 144; Psalms 145

1 Rescue me from evil people, O LORD. Keep me safe from violent people.

2 They plan evil things in their hearts. They start fights every day.

3 They make their tongues as sharp as a snake's [fang]. Their lips hide the venom of poisonous snakes. Selah

4 Protect me from the hands of wicked people, O LORD. Keep me safe from violent people. They try to trip me.

5 Arrogant people have laid a trap for me. They have spread out a net with ropes. They have set traps for me along the road. Selah

6 I said to the LORD, "You are my God." O LORD, open your ears to hear my plea for pity.

7 O LORD Almighty, the strong one who saves me, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 O LORD, do not give wicked people what they want. Do not let their evil plans succeed, [or] they will become arrogant. Selah

9 Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with their own threats.

10 Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into a pit, never to rise again.

11 Do not let slanderers prosper on earth. Let evil hunt down violent people with one blow after another.

12 I know that the LORD will defend the rights of those who are oppressed and the cause of those who are needy.

13 Indeed, righteous people will give thanks to your name. Decent people will live in your presence.

1 O LORD, I cry out to you, "Come quickly." Open your ears to me when I cry out to you.

2 Let my prayer be accepted as sweet-smelling incense in your presence. Let the lifting up of my hands in prayer be accepted as an evening sacrifice.

3 O LORD, set a guard at my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not let me be persuaded to do anything evil or to become involved with wickedness, with people who are troublemakers. Do not let me taste their delicacies.

5 A righteous person may strike me or correct me out of kindness. It is like lotion for my head. My head will not refuse it, because my prayer is directed against evil deeds.

6 When their judges are thrown off a cliff, they will listen to what I have to say. It will sound pleasant [to them].

7 As someone plows and breaks up the ground, so our bones will be planted at the mouth of the grave.

8 My eyes look to you, LORD Almighty. I have taken refuge in you. Do not leave me defenseless.

9 Keep me away from the trap they set for me and from the traps set by troublemakers.

10 Let wicked people fall into their own nets, while I escape unharmed.

1 Loudly, I cry to the LORD. Loudly, I plead with the LORD for mercy.

2 I pour out my complaints in his presence and tell him my troubles.

3 When I begin to lose hope, you [already] know what I am experiencing. [My enemies] have hidden a trap for me on the path where I walk.

4 Look to my right and see that no one notices me. Escape is impossible for me. No one cares about me.

5 I call out to you, O LORD. I say, "You are my refuge, my own inheritance in this world of the living."

6 Pay attention to my cry for help because I am very weak. Rescue me from those who pursue me because they are too strong for me.

7 Release my soul from prison so that I may give thanks to your name. Righteous people will surround me because you are good to me.

1 O LORD, listen to my prayer. Open your ears to hear my urgent requests. Answer me because you are faithful and righteous.

2 Do not take me to court for judgment, because there is no one alive who is righteous in your presence.

3 The enemy has pursued me. He has ground my life into the dirt. He has made me live in dark places like those who have died long ago.

4 That is why I begin to lose hope and my heart is in a state of shock.

5 I remember the days long ago. I reflect on all that you have done. I carefully consider what your hands have made.

6 I stretch out my hands to you in prayer. Like parched land, my soul thirsts for you. Selah

7 Answer me quickly, O LORD. My spirit is worn out. Do not hide your face from me, or I will be like those who go into the pit.

8 Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, because I trust you. Let me know the way that I should go, because I long for you.

9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD. I come to you for protection.

10 Teach me to do your will, because you are my God. May your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11 O LORD, keep me alive for the sake of your name. Because you are righteous, lead me out of trouble.

12 In keeping with your mercy, wipe out my enemies and destroy all who torment me, because I am your servant.

1 Thank the LORD, my rock, who trained my hands to fight and my fingers to do battle,

2 my merciful one, my fortress, my stronghold, and my savior, my shield, the one in whom I take refuge, and the one who brings people under my authority.

3 O LORD, what are humans that you should care about them? What are mere mortals that you should think about them?

4 Humans are like a breath of air. Their life span is like a fleeting shadow.

5 O LORD, bend your heaven low, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

6 Hurl bolts of lightning, and scatter them. Shoot your arrows, and throw them into confusion.

7 Stretch out your hands from above. Snatch me, and rescue me from raging waters and from foreigners' hands.

8 Their mouths speak lies. Their right hands take false pledges.

9 O God, I will sing a new song to you. I will sing a psalm to you on a ten-stringed harp.

10 You are the one who gives victory to kings. You are the one who snatches your servant David away from a deadly sword.

11 Snatch me, and rescue me from foreigners' hands. Their mouths speak lies. Their right hands take false pledges.

12 May our sons be like full-grown, young plants. May our daughters be like stately columns that adorn the corners of a palace.

13 May our barns be filled with all kinds of crops. May our sheep give birth to thousands of lambs, tens of thousands in our fields.

14 May our cattle have many calves. May no one break in, and may no one be dragged out. May there be no cries of distress in our streets.

15 Blessed are the people who have these blessings! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!

1 I will highly praise you, my God, the king. I will bless your name forever and ever.

2 I will bless you every day. I will praise your name forever and ever.

3 The LORD is great, and he should be highly praised. His greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation will praise your deeds to the next. Each generation will talk about your mighty acts.

5 I will think about the glorious honor of your majesty and the miraculous things you have done.

6 People will talk about the power of your terrifying deeds, and I will tell about your greatness.

7 They will announce what they remember of your great goodness, and they will joyfully sing about your righteousness.

8 The LORD is merciful, compassionate, patient, and always ready to forgive.

9 The LORD is good to everyone and has compassion for everything that he has made.

10 Everything that you have made will give thanks to you, O LORD, and your faithful ones will praise you.

11 Everyone will talk about the glory of your kingdom and will tell the descendants of Adam about your might

12 in order to make known your mighty deeds and the glorious honor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your empire endures throughout every generation.

14 The LORD supports everyone who falls. He straightens [the backs] of those who are bent over.

15 The eyes of all creatures look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand, and you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is fair in all his ways and faithful in everything he does.

18 The LORD is near to everyone who prays to him, to every faithful person who prays to him.

19 He fills the needs of those who fear him. He hears their cries for help and saves them.

20 The LORD protects everyone who loves him, but he will destroy all wicked people.

21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all living creatures will praise his holy name forever and ever.