A Prayer for Protection against Persecutors

1401 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Free me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man: 2 Who devise mischiefs in [their] heart; every day are they banded together for war. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked [man], preserve me from the violent man, who devise to overthrow my steps. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way-side; they have set traps for me. Selah. 6 I have said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God: give ear, O Jehovah, to the voice of my supplications. 7 Jehovah, the Lord, is the strength of my salvation: thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desire of the wicked; further not his device: they would exalt themselves. Selah. 9 [As for] the head of those that encompass me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep waters, that they rise not up again. 11 Let not the man of [evil] tongue be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the man of violence to [his] ruin. 12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted one, the right of the needy. 13 Yea, the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

A Prayer for Preservation from Evil

1411 Jehovah, I have called upon thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee. 2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation. 3 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. 4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise deeds of wickedness with men that are workers of iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse: for yet my prayer also is [for them] in their calamities. 6 When their judges are thrown down from the rocks, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet. 7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol, as when one cutteth and cleaveth [wood] upon the earth. 8 For unto thee, Jehovah, Lord, are mine eyes; in thee do I trust: leave not my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal pass over.

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

1421 An instruction of David; when he was in the cave: a prayer. I cry unto Jehovah with my voice: with my voice unto Jehovah do I make supplication. 2 I pour out my plaint before him; I shew before him my trouble. 3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they hidden a snare for me.

4 Look on the right hand and see; there is no man that knoweth me: refuge hath failed me; no man careth for my soul. 5 I cried unto thee, Jehovah; I said, Thou art my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. 6 Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. 7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may celebrate thy name. The righteous shall surround me, because thou dealest bountifully with me.

A Prayer for Deliverance and Guidance

1431 Jehovah, hear my prayer; give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, in thy righteousness. 2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight no man living shall be justified. 3 For the enemy persecuteth my soul: he hath crushed my life down to the earth; he hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. 4 And my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate. 5 I remember the days of old: I meditate on all thy doing; I muse on the work of thy hands. 6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul, as a parched land, [thirsteth] after thee. Selah.

7 Answer me speedily, O Jehovah; my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, or I shall be like unto them that go down into the pit. 8 Cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning, for in thee do I confide; make me to know the way wherein I should walk, for unto thee do I lift up my soul. 9 Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: unto thee do I flee for refuge. 10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: let thy good Spirit lead me in a plain country. 11 Revive me, O Jehovah, for thy name's sake; in thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble; 12 And in thy loving-kindness cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that oppress my soul: for I am thy servant.

A Prayer for Rescue and Prosperity

1441 Blessed be Jehovah my rock, who teacheth my hands to war, my fingers to fight; 2 My mercy and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I trust, who subdueth my people under me! 3 Jehovah, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him, the son of man, that thou takest thought of him? 4 Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passeth away. 5 Jehovah, bow thy heavens, and come down; touch the mountains, that they smoke; 6 Cast forth lightnings, and scatter them; send forth thine arrows, and discomfit them: 7 Stretch out thy hands from above; rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of aliens, 8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

9 O God, I will sing a new song unto thee; with the ten-stringed lute will I sing psalms unto thee: 10 Who givest salvation unto kings; who rescuest David thy servant from the hurtful sword. 11 Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of aliens, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; our daughters as corner-columns, sculptured after the fashion of a palace: 13 Our granaries full, affording all manner of store; our sheep bringing forth thousands, ten thousands in our pastures; 14 Our kine laden [with young]; no breaking in and no going forth, and no outcry in our streets. 15 Blessed the people that is in such a case! Blessed the people whose God is Jehovah!

Praise for the LORD's Goodness and Power

1451 I will extol thee, my God, O King, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. 2 Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. 3 Great is Jehovah, and exceedingly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak of the glorious splendour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. 6 And they shall tell of the might of thy terrible acts; and thy great deeds will I declare. 7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 8 Jehovah is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness. 9 Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10 All thy works shall praise thee, Jehovah, and thy saints shall bless thee. 11 They shall tell of the glory of thy kingdom, and speak of thy power; 12 To make known to the children of men his mighty acts, and the glorious splendour of his kingdom. 13 Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and thy dominion is throughout all generations. 14 Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all that are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their food in its season. 16 Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 17 Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, and kind in all his works. 18 Jehovah is nigh unto all that call upon him, unto all that call upon him in truth. 19 He fulfilleth the desire of them that fear him; he heareth their cry, and saveth them. 20 Jehovah keepeth all that love him, and all the wicked will he destroy. 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of Jehovah; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.