Psalm 140; Job 4

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Psalm 140

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

yDeliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from zviolent men,

who plan evil things in their heart

and astir up wars continually.

They make btheir tongue sharp as ca serpent’s,

and dunder their lips is the evenom of asps. Selah

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

preserve me from zviolent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

The arrogant have fhidden a trap for me,

and with cords they have spread ga net;1

beside the way they have set hsnares for me. Selah

iI say to the Lord, You are my God;

give ear to jthe voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!

O Lord, my Lord, kthe strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

lGrant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

do not further their2 evil plot, or mthey will be exalted! Selah

As for the head of those who surround me,

let nthe mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

10  Let oburning coals fall upon them!

Let them be cast into fire,

into miry pits, no more to rise!

11  Let not the slanderer be established in the land;

let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

12  I know that the Lord will pmaintain the cause of the afflicted,

and qwill execute justice for the needy.

13  Surely rthe righteous shall give thanks to your name;

sthe upright shall dwell in your presence.


Job 4

Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?

Yet who can keep from speaking?

Behold, you have instructed many,

and you have astrengthened the weak hands.

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,

and you have amade firm the feeble knees.

But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;

it touches you, and you are dismayed.

bIs not your fear of God1 your cconfidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?

Remember: dwho that was innocent ever perished?

Or where were the upright cut off?

As I have seen, those who eplow iniquity

and sow trouble reap the same.

By fthe breath of God they perish,

and by gthe blast of his anger they are consumed.

10  The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,

hthe teeth of the young lions are broken.

11  The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,

and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12  Now a word was brought to me stealthily;

my ear received ithe whisper of it.

13  Amid jthoughts from kvisions of the night,

when kdeep sleep falls on men,

14  dread came upon me, and trembling,

which made all my bones shake.

15  A spirit glided past my face;

the hair of my flesh stood up.

16  It stood still,

but I could not discern its appearance.

lA form was before my eyes;

there was silence, then I heard ma voice:

17  nCan mortal man be in the right before2 God?

Can a man be pure before his Maker?

18  Even in his servants ohe puts no trust,

and his angels he charges with error;

19  how much more those who dwell in houses of pclay,

whose foundation is in qthe dust,

who are crushed like3 rthe moth.

20  Between smorning and evening they are beaten to pieces;

they perish forever twithout anyone regarding it.

21  Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,

udo they not die, and that without wisdom?