Psalm 140

For the end, a Psalm of David.

¹ Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil man; deliver me from the unjust man. ² Who have devised injustice in their hearts; all the day they prepared war. ³ They have sharpened their tongue as the tongue of a serpent; ¹the poison of asps is under their lips. Pause. ⁴ Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner; rescue me from unjust men; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. ⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me, and have stretched out ropes for snares for my feet; they set a stumbling-block for me near the path. Pause.

⁶ I said to the Lord, Thou art my God; hearken, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication. ⁷ O Lord God, the strength of my salvation; thou hast screened my head in the day of battle. ⁸ Deliver me not, O Lord, to the sinner, ²according to my desire: they have devised mischief against me; forsake me not, lest they should be exalted. Pause.

⁹ As for the head of them that compass me, the mischief of their lips shall cover them. ¹⁰ Coals of fire shall fall upon them on the earth; and thou shalt cast them down in afflictions: they shall not bear up under them. ¹¹ A talkative man shall not prosper on the earth: evils shall hunt the unrighteous man to destruction. ¹² I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the ³poor, and the right of the needy ones. ¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Psalm 141

A Psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, I have cried to thee; hear me: attend to the voice of my supplication, when I cry to thee. ² Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. ³ Set a watch, O Lord, on my mouth, and a ⁴strong door about by lips. ⁴ Incline not my heart to evil things, to ⁵employ pretexts

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⁶for sins, with me who work iniquity: and ⁷let me not unite with their choice ones. ⁵ The righteous shall chasten me with mercy, and reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head: for yet shall my prayer also be in their ⁸pleasures.

⁶ Their mighty ones have been swallowed up near the rock: they shall hear my words, for they are sweet. ⁷ As a lump of earth is crushed upon the ground, our bones have been scattered by the mouth of the grave. ⁸ For mine eyes are to thee, O Lord God: I have hoped in thee; take not away my life. ⁹ Keep me from the snare which they have set for me, and from the stumbling blocks of them that work iniquity. ¹⁰ Sinners shall fall by their own net: I am alone until I shall escape.