A Prayer for Protection against Oppressors

171 Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; Let thine eyes look upon equity. 3 Thou hast proved my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped. 6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God: Incline thine ear unto me, [and] hear my speech. 7 Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them that take refuge [in thee] From those that rise up [against them].

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about. 10 They are inclosed in their own fat: With their mouth they speak proudly. 11 They have now compassed us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast [us] down to the earth. 12 He is like a lion that is greedy of his prey, And as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13 Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword; 14 From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is in [this] life, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes. 15 As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with [beholding] thy form.

A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

351 Strive thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me: Fight thou against them that fight against me. 2 Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. 3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. 4 Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt. 5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, And the angel of Jehovah driving [them] on. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, And the angel of Jehovah pursuing them. 7 For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit; Without cause have they digged [a pit] for my soul. 8 Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: With destruction let him fall therein. 9 And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah: It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not. 12 They reward me evil for good, [To] the bereaving of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother. 15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; They did tear me, and ceased not: 16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions. 18 I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much people. 19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. 20 For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land. 21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me; They said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. 22 Thou hast seen it, O Jehovah; Keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. 23 Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice [due] unto me, [Even] unto my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me. 25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26 Let them be put to shame and confounded together that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, Who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness [And] of thy praise all the day long.

A Prayer for Protection from Enemies

541 Save me, O God, by thy name, And judge me in thy might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth. 3 For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. [Selah]

4 Behold, God is my helper: The Lord is of them that uphold my soul. 5 He will requite the evil unto mine enemies: Destroy thou them in thy truth. 6 With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto thee: I will give thanks unto thy name, O Jehovah, for it is good. 7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; And mine eye hath seen [my desire] upon mine enemies.

God Satisfies the Thirsting Soul

631 O God, thou art my God; earnestly will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, In a dry and weary land, where no water is. 2 So have I looked upon thee in the sanctuary, To see thy power and thy glory.

3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise thee. 4 So will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, [And] meditate on thee in the night-watches.

7 For thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: Thy right hand upholdeth me. 9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10 They shall be given over to the power of the sword: They shall be a portion for foxes. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God: Every one that sweareth by him shall glory; For the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.