Psalms 140

1 TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF DAVID. Deliver me, O YHWH, from an evil man, Keep me from one of violence.

To the Chief Musician. A Melody of David. Rescue me, O Yahweh, from the men of mischief, From the men of violence, wilt thou preserve me:

2 Who have devised evils in the heart, All the day they assemble [for] wars.

Who have devised mischiefs in their [heart], Every day, do they stir up wars:

3 They sharpened their tongue as a serpent, Poison of a viper [is] under their lips. (Selah)

They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent, —The poison of the asp, is under their lips. (Selah)

4 Preserve me, YHWH, from the hands of the wicked, Keep me from one of violence, Who have devised to overthrow my steps.

Keep me, O Yahweh, from the hands of the lawless one, From the man of violence, wilt thou preserve me, —who have devised, to thrust at my steps:

5 The proud hid a snare for me—and cords, They spread a net by the side of the path, They have set snares for me. (Selah)

The proud have hidden a snare for me, and, cords, have they spread as a net beside the track, Snares, have they set for me. (Selah)

6 I have said to YHWH, “You [are] my God, Hear, YHWH, the voice of my supplications.”

I have said unto Yahweh, My GOD, thou art! Give ear, O Yahweh, unto the voice of my supplications.

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

O Yahweh, My Lord, my saving strength, thou hast screened my head in the day of battle.

8 Do not grant, O YHWH, the desires of the wicked, Do not bring forth his wicked scheme, They are high. (Selah)

Do not grant, O Yahweh, the desires of the lawless one, his device, do not promote, They would exalt themselves. (Selah)

9 The chief of my surrounders, The perverseness of their lips covers them.

As for the head of them who surround me, Let the mischief of their lips cover them:

10 They cause burning coals to fall on themselves, He casts them into fire, Into deep pits—they do not arise.

May there be dropped on them live coals, —Into the fire, may they be let fall, into watery pits [from which] they shall not rise.

11 A talkative man is not established in the earth, One of violence—evil hunts to overflowing.

As for the slanderer, let him not be established in the earth, —As for the man of wrongful violence, let misfortune hunt him with thrust upon thrust.

12 I have known that YHWH executes The judgment of the afflicted, The judgment of the needy.

I know that Yahweh will execute, the right of the oppressed one, the vindication of the needy.

13 Surely the righteous give thanks to Your Name, The upright dwell with Your presence!

Surely, the righteous, shall give thanks to thy Name, the upright shall dwell in thy presence.