Psalm 56; Psalm 120; Psalms 140–142

red bookmark icon blue bookmark icon gold bookmark icon
Psalm 56

In God I Trust

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam1 of David, jwhen the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1  Be gracious to me, O God, for man ktramples on me;

all day long an attacker oppresses me;

2  my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many attack me proudly.

3  When I am afraid,

I put my ltrust in you.

4  In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; mI shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me?

5  All day long they injure my cause;2

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6  They nstir up strife, they lurk;

they owatch my steps,

as they have waited for my life.

7  For their crime will they escape?

In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8  You have kept count of my tossings;3

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in pyour book?

9  Then my enemies will turn back

in the day when I call.

This I know, that4 qGod is for me.

10  In God, whose word I praise,

in the Lord, whose word I praise,

11  in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

12  I must perform my vows to you, O God;

I will render thank offerings to you.

13  For you have rdelivered my soul from death,

yes, my feet from falling,

that I may swalk before God

in the tlight of life.


Psalm 120

Deliver Me, O Lord

A Song of Ascents.

1  eIn my fdistress I called to the Lord,

and ghe answered me.

2  Deliver me, O Lord,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.

3  What shall be given to you,

and what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

4  A warrior’s sharp arrows,

with hglowing coals of the broom tree!

5  Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the itents of Kedar!

6  Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

7  I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war!


Psalms 140–142

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1  xDeliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from violent men,

2  who plan evil things in their heart

and ystir up wars continually.

3  They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,

and zunder their lips is the venom of asps. Selah

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

preserve me from violent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

5  The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,

and with cords they have spread a net;1

beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

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

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

7  O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8  Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

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

9  As for the head of those who surround me,

blet the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

10  cLet burning 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 dthe Lord will emaintain the cause of the afflicted,

and will execute justice for the needy.

13  Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;

fthe upright shall dwell in your presence.

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

1  O Lord, I call upon you; ghasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

2  Let my hprayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as ithe evening sacrifice!

3  jSet a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

kkeep watch over the door of my lips!

4  Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

and let me not eat of their delicacies!

5  lLet a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;

let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;

let my head not refuse it.

Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

6  When their judges are thrown over the cliff,3

then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

7  As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.4

8  But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!5

9  Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me

and from the snares of evildoers!

10  Let the wicked fall into their own mnets,

while I pass by safely.

You Are My Refuge

A Maskil6 of David, nwhen he was oin the cave. A Prayer.

1  pWith my voice I cry out to the Lord;

with my voice I qplead for mercy to the Lord.

2  I rpour out my complaint before him;

I tell my trouble before him.

3  When smy spirit faints within me,

you know my way!

In the path where I walk

they have hidden a trap for me.

4  Look to the right and see:

there is none who takes notice of me;

tno refuge remains to me;

no one cares for my soul.

5  I cry to you, O Lord;

I say, “You are my refuge,

umy portion in the land of the living.”

6  vAttend to my cry,

for I am brought very low!

wDeliver me from my persecutors,

for they are too strong for me!

7  xBring me out of prison,

that I may give thanks to your name!

The righteous will surround me,

for you will deal bountifully with me.