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

Psalms 56

1 To the Chief Musician. Set to 'The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.' A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath. Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me.

2 My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

5 All day they twist my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They gather together, They hide, they mark my steps, When they lie in wait for my life.

7 Shall they escape by iniquity? In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?

9 When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.

10 In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word),

11 In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

12 Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You,

13 For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?

Psalms 120

1 A Song of Ascents. In my distress I cried to the Lord, And He heard me.

2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given to you, Or what shall be done to you, You false tongue?

4 Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of the broom tree!

5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

6 My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace.

7 I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.

Psalms 140

1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men,

2 Who plan evil things in their hearts; They continually gather together for war.

3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah

4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.

5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah

6 I said to the Lord: "You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.

7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his wicked scheme, Lest they be exalted. Selah

9 "As for the head of those who surround me, Let the evil of their lips cover them;

10 Let burning coals fall upon them; Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not a slanderer be established in the earth; Let evil hunt the violent man to overthrow him."

12 I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

Psalms 141

1 A Psalm of David. Lord, I cry out to You; Make haste to me! Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.

2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

5 Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.

6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, And they hear my words, for they are sweet.

7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave, As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

8 But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute.

9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely.

Psalms 142

1 A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the Lord with my voice; With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, "You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me."