1  ^yDeliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from ^zviolent men,

2  who plan evil things in their heart

and ^astir up wars continually.

3  They make ^btheir tongue sharp as ^ca serpent’s,

and ^dunder their lips is the ^evenom of asps. Selah

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

preserve me from ^zviolent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

5  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

6  ⁱI say to the Lord, You are my God;

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

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

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

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

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

9  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.

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

Yet who can keep from speaking?

3  Behold, you have instructed many,

and you have ^astrengthened the weak hands.

4  Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,

and you have ^amade firm the feeble knees.

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

it touches you, and you are dismayed.

6  ^bIs not your fear of God¹ your ^cconfidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?

7  “Remember: ^dwho that was innocent ever perished?

Or where were the upright cut off?

8  As I have seen, those who ^eplow iniquity

and sow trouble reap the same.

9  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  ⁿ‘Can 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 like^{3 r}the 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?’