1  ^yDeliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from ^zviolent men,

2  who plan evil things in their heart

and ^astir up wars continually.

3  They make ^btheir tongue sharp as ^ca serpent’s,

and ^dunder their lips is the ^evenom of asps. Selah

4  Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;

preserve me from ^zviolent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

5  The arrogant have ^fhidden a trap for me,

and with cords they have spread ^ga net;¹

beside the way they have set ^hsnares for me. Selah

6  ⁱI say to the Lord, You are my God;

give ear to ^jthe voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!

7  O Lord, my Lord, ^kthe strength of my salvation,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8  ^lGrant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;

do not further their² evil plot, or ^mthey will be exalted! Selah

9  As for the head of those who surround me,

let ⁿthe mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

10  Let ^oburning 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 ^pmaintain the cause of the afflicted,

and ^qwill execute justice for the needy.

13  Surely ^rthe righteous shall give thanks to your name;

^sthe upright shall dwell in your presence.

1  O Lord, I call upon you; ^thasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

2  Let ^umy prayer be counted as incense before you,

and ^vthe lifting up of my hands as ^wthe evening sacrifice!

3  ^xSet a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;

^ykeep watch over the door of my lips!

4  ^zDo not let my heart incline to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who ^awork iniquity,

and ^blet me not eat of their delicacies!

5  ^cLet a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;

let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;

let my head not refuse it.

Yet ^dmy prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

6  When their judges are ^ethrown over the cliff,¹

then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

7  As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

so shall our bones ^fbe scattered at the mouth of Sheol.²

8  But ^gmy eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;

^hin you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!³

9  Keep me from ⁱthe trap that they have laid for me

and from the snares of evildoers!

10  Let the wicked ^jfall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely.