Psalms 56; Psalms 120; Psalms 140; Psalms 141; Psalms 142

Psalms 56

1 God, show me your favor. Men are chasing me. All day long they keep attacking me.

2 Those who tell lies about me chase me all day long. Many proud people are attacking me.

3 When I'm afraid, I will trust in you.

4 I trust in God. I praise his word. I trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can people do to me?

5 All day long they twist my words. They are always making plans to harm me.

6 They get together and hide. They watch my steps. They hope to kill me.

7 Make sure you don't let them escape. God, bring down the nations in your anger.

8 Write down my poem of sadness. List my tears on your scroll. Aren't you making a record of them?

9 My enemies will turn back when I call out to you for help. Then I will know that God is on my side.

10 I trust in God. I praise his word. I trust in the Lord. I praise his word.

11 I trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can mere men do to me?

12 God, I have made promises to you. I will bring my thank offerings to you.

13 You have saved me from death. You have kept me from tripping and falling. Now I can live with you in the light that leads to life.

Psalms 120

1 I call out to the LORD when I'm in trouble, and he answers me.

2 Lord, save me from people whose lips tell lies. Save me from people whose tongues don't tell the truth.

3 What will the LORD do to you, you lying tongue? And what more will he do?

4 He will punish you with the sharp arrows of a soldier. He will punish you with burning wood from a desert tree.

5 How terrible it is for me to live in the tents of the people of Meshech! How terrible to live in the tents of the people of Kedar!

6 I have lived too long among those who hate peace.

7 I want peace. But when I speak, they want war.

Psalms 140

1 Lord, save me from sinful men. Keep me safe from those who want to hurt me.

2 They make evil plans in their hearts. They are always starting fights.

3 Their tongues are as deadly as the tongue of a serpent. The words from their lips are like the poison of a snake. "Selah"

4 Lord, keep me out of the hands of sinful people. Keep me safe from men who want to hurt me. They plan to trip me up and make me fall.

5 Proud people have hidden their traps to catch me. They have spread out their nets. They have set traps for me along my path. "Selah"

6 Lord, I say to you, "You are my God." Lord, hear my cry for your favor.

7 LORD and King, you save me because you are strong. You are like a shield that keeps me safe in the day of battle.

8 Lord, don't give sinners what they want. Don't let their plans succeed. If you do, they will become proud. "Selah"

9 Those who are all around me have caused me trouble by what their lips have said. Let that trouble fall on their own heads.

10 Let burning coals fall on people like that. May they be thrown into the fire. May they be thrown into muddy pits and never get out.

11 Don't let men who tell lies about me settle down in the land. May trouble hunt down those who want to hurt me.

12 I know that the LORD makes sure that poor people are treated fairly. He stands up for those who are in need.

13 I'm sure that those who do right will praise your name. Those who are honest will live with you.

Psalms 141

1 Lord, I call out to you. Come quickly to help me. Listen to me when I call out to you.

2 May my prayer come to you like the sweet smell of incense. When I lift up my hands in prayer, may it be like the evening sacrifice.

3 Lord, guard my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Don't let my heart be drawn to what is evil. Don't let me join men who do evil. They don't do what is right. Don't let me join them and eat their fancy food.

5 If a person who does what is right were to strike me, it would be an act of kindness. If that person were to correct me, it would be like pouring olive oil on my head. I wouldn't say no to it. But I always pray against the things that sinful people do.

6 When their rulers are thrown down from the rocky cliffs, those evil people will realize that my words were true.

7 They will say, "As clumps of dirt are left from plowing up the ground, so our bones will be scattered near an open grave."

8 But LORD and King, I keep looking to you. I go to you for safety. Don't let me die.

9 Keep me from the traps of those who do evil. Save me from the traps they have set for me.

10 Let evil people fall into their own nets. But let me go safely on my way.

Psalms 142

1 I call out to the Lord. I pray to him for his favor.

2 I pour out my problem to him. I tell him about my trouble.

3 When I grow weak, you know what I'm going through. In the path where I walk, people have hidden a trap to catch me.

4 Look around me, and you will see that no one is concerned about me. I have no place of safety. No one cares whether I live or die.

5 Lord, I cry out to you. I say, "You are my place of safety. You are everything I need in this life."

6 Listen to my cry. I am in great need. Save me from those who are chasing me. They are too strong for me.

7 My troubles are like a prison. Set me free so I can praise your name. Then those who do what is right will gather around me because you have been good to me.