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Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
² who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
³ They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's,
and under 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;^[a]
beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

⁶ I 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 their^[b] evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah

⁹ As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰ Let 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 the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 140:5 Or they have spread cords as a net
2. Psalm 140:8 Hebrew his

Cross references:

1. Psalm 140:1 : Ps. 71:4; 119:153, 170
2. Psalm 140:1 : Ps. 18:48; Prov. 3:31
3. Psalm 140:2 : See Ps. 56:6
4. Psalm 140:3 : [Ps. 52:2]
5. Psalm 140:3 : Ps. 58:4
6. Psalm 140:3 : Ps. 10:7
7. Psalm 140:3 : Cited Rom. 3:13
8. Psalm 140:4 : [See ver. 1 above]; Ps. 18:48; Prov. 3:31
9. Psalm 140:5 : Ps. 35:7; 141:9; 142:3; Jer. 18:22
10. Psalm 140:5 : Job 18:8-10
11. Psalm 140:5 : Ps. 64:5
12. Psalm 140:6 : Ps. 142:5
13. Psalm 140:6 : Ps. 28:2; 31:22; 130:2
14. Psalm 140:7 : Ps. 28:8
15. Psalm 140:8 : [Ps. 35:25]
16. Psalm 140:8 : Isa. 14:21
17. Psalm 140:9 : [Prov. 12:13; 18:7]; See Ps. 7:16
18. Psalm 140:10 : [Ps. 11:6; 18:13]
19. Psalm 140:12 : Ps. 9:4
20. Psalm 140:12 : 1 Kgs. 8:45, 49, 59
21. Psalm 140:13 : [Ps. 64:10]
22. Psalm 140:13 : [Ps. 11:7]