A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 [1]Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers; protect me from the violent, 2 who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day. 3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips.[2] 4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet. 5 The arrogant have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path. 6 I say to the Lord, "You are my God." Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy. 7 Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.

Other Translations of Psalm 140:1-7

King James Version

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent violent...: Heb. man of violences man; 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. 6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. 7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

English Standard Version

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 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;Or they have spread cords as a net 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.

The Message

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 God, get me out of here, away from this evil; protect me from these vicious people. 2 All they do is think up new ways to be bad; they spend their days plotting war games. 3 They practice the sharp rhetoric of hate and hurt, speak venomous words that maim and kill. 4 God, keep me out of the clutch of these wicked ones, protect me from these vicious people; 5 Stuffed with self-importance, they plot ways to trip me up, determined to bring me down. These crooks invent traps to catch me and do their best to incriminate me. 6 I prayed, "God, you're my God! Listen, God! Mercy! 7 God, my Lord, Strong Savior, protect me when the fighting breaks out!

New King James Version

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men, 2 Who plan evil things in their hearts; They continually gather together for war. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah 4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set traps for me. Selah 6 I said to the Lord: "You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. 7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.

New Living Translation

A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent, 2 those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. 3 Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude 4 O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me. 5 The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude 6 I said to the Lord, "You are my God!" Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy! 7 O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 140:1-7

Commentary on Psalm 140:1-7

(Read Psalm 140:1-7)

The more danger appears, the more earnest we should be in prayer to God. All are safe whom the Lord protects. If he be for us, who can be against us? We should especially watch and pray, that the Lord would hold up our goings in his ways, that our footsteps slip not. God is as able to keep his people from secret fraud as from open force; and the experience we have had of his power and care, in dangers of one kind, may encourage us to depend upon him in other dangers.