A Prayer of Trust

561 Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.
All day long, he attacks and oppresses me. 2 My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,
for they are many who fight proudly against me. 3 When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in you. 4 In God, I praise his word.
In God, I put my trust.
I will not be afraid.
What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they twist my words.
All their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They conspire and lurk,
watching my steps, they are eager to take my life. 7 Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, God.

8 You number my wanderings.
You put my tears into your bottle.
Aren’t they in your book? 9 Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
I know this, that God is for me. 10 In God, I will praise his word.
In Yahweh, I will praise his word. 11 I have put my trust in God.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me? 12 Your vows are on me, God.
I will give thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
and prevented my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

A Prayer for Deliverance from Deceitfulness

1201 In my distress, I cried to Yahweh.
He answered me. 2 Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue. 3 What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you,
you deceitful tongue? 4 Sharp arrows of the mighty,
with coals of juniper.

5 Woe is me, that I live in Meshech,
that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! 6 My soul has had her dwelling too long
with him who hates peace. 7 I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war.

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 Deliver me, Yahweh, from the evil man.
Preserve me from the violent man; 2 those who devise mischief in their hearts.
They continually gather themselves together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent.
Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked.
Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me,
they have spread the cords of a net by the path.
They have set traps for me. Selah. 6 I said to Yahweh, “You are my God.”
Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh. 7 Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Yahweh, don’t grant the desires of the wicked.
Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah. 9 As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall on them.
Let them be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, from where they never rise. 11 An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth.
Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him. 12 I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name.
The upright will dwell in your presence.

A Prayer for Preservation from Evil

1411 Yahweh, I have called on you.
Come to me quickly!
Listen to my voice when I call to you. 2 Let my prayer be set before you like incense;
the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.
Keep the door of my lips. 4 Don’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.

5 Let 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. 6 Their 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.” 8 For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord.
In you, I take refuge.
Don’t leave my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
from the traps of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets,
while I pass by.

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

1421 I cry with my voice to Yahweh.
With my voice, I ask Yahweh for mercy. 2 I pour out my complaint before him.
I tell him my troubles. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
you knew my path.
In the way in which I walk,
they have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look 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. 5 I cried to you, Yahweh.
I said, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.” 6 Listen to my cry,
for I am in desperate need.
deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than me. 7 Bring 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.