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 Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

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

Who imagine mischiefs in [their] heart; continually are they assembled [for] war.

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

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adder's poison [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 LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

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 hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way side: they have set gins for me. (Selah)

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

I said to the LORD, Thou [art] my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

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

O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered 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)

Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; [lest] they exalt themselves. (Selah)

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

[As for] the head of those that encompass me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

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

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

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

Let not an evil speaker be established on the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow [him].

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

I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, [and] the right of the poor.

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.