New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the dread enemy.
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<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O God, let the voice of my grief come to your ear: keep my life from the fear of those who are against me.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers,
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Keep me safe from the secret purpose of wrongdoers; from the band of the workers of evil;
3 who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
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Who make their tongues sharp like a sword, and whose arrows are pointed, even bitter words;
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless; they shoot suddenly and without fear.
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So that in secret they may let loose their arrows at the upright, suddenly and unseen.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, "Who can see us?
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They make themselves strong in an evil purpose; they make holes for secret nets; they say, Who will see it,
6 Who can search out our crimes? We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot." For the human heart and mind are deep.
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Or make discovery of our secret purpose? The design is framed with care; and the inner thought of a man, and his heart, is deep.
7 But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly.
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But God sends out an arrow against them; suddenly they are wounded.
8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake with horror.
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The evil of their tongues is the cause of their fall; all those who see them are shaking their heads at them.
9 Then everyone will fear; they will tell what God has brought about, and ponder what he has done.
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And in fear men make public the works of God; and giving thought to his acts they get wisdom.
10 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him. Let all the upright in heart glory.
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The upright will be glad in the Lord and have hope in him; and all the lovers of righteousness will give him glory.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.