Psalms 141–145

A Psalm by David.

¹LORD, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.

²Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

³Set a watch, LORD, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.

⁴Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.

⁵Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.

⁶Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.

⁷“As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

⁸For my eyes are on you, LORD, the Lord. I take refuge in you. Don’t leave my soul destitute.

⁹Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.

¹⁰Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.

A contemplation by David, when he was in the cave. A Prayer.

¹I cry with my voice to the LORD. With my voice, I ask the LORD for mercy.

²I pour out my complaint before him. I tell him my troubles.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

⁴Look on my right, and see; for there is no one who is concerned for me. Refuge has fled from me. No one cares for my soul.

⁵I cried to you, LORD. I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

⁶Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need. Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.

⁷Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will be good to me.

A Psalm by David.

¹Hear my prayer, LORD. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me.

²Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous.

³For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead.

⁴Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate.

⁵I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands.

⁶I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah.

⁷Hurry to answer me, LORD. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit.

⁸Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you.

⁹Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me.

¹⁰Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.

¹¹Revive me, LORD, for your name’s sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble.

¹²In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

By David.

¹Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands to war, and my fingers to battle—

²my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.

³LORD, what is man, that you care for him? Or the son of man, that you think of him?

⁴Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

⁵Part your heavens, LORD, and come down. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

⁶Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.

⁷Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners,

⁸whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

⁹I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.

¹⁰You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

¹¹Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

¹²Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants, our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

¹³Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision. Our sheep produce thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

A praise psalm by David.

¹I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

³Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

⁵I will meditate on the glorious majesty of your honor, on your wondrous works.

⁶Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

⁷They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

⁸The LORD is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

⁹The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

¹⁰All your works will give thanks to you, LORD. Your saints will extol you.

¹¹They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power,

¹²to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.