Psalm
For the director. A melody of David.
140 Rescue me, O Jehovah, from evil men;
Protect me from violent men,+
2 Those who scheme evil in their hearts+
And stir up conflict all day long.
4 Protect me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked;+
Safeguard me from violent men,
Those who scheme to trip me.
5 The haughty ones hide a trap for me;
With ropes they spread out a net beside the path.+
They set snares for me.+ (Selah)
6 I say to Jehovah: “You are my God.
Listen, O Jehovah, to my pleas for help.”+
7 O Jehovah the Sovereign Lord, my strong Savior,
You shield my head in the day of battle.+
8 Do not grant, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked.
Do not let their plots succeed, so that they are not exalted.+ (Selah)
9 May the heads of those surrounding me
Be covered with the evil spoken by their lips.+
10 May burning coals rain down on them.+
11 May the slanderer find no place on the earth.*+
May evil pursue men of violence and strike them down.
12 I know that Jehovah will defend the lowly
And give justice to the poor.+