Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

¹yDeliver me, O Lord, from evil men;

preserve me from zviolent men,

²who plan evil things in their heart

and astir up wars continually.

³They make btheir tongue sharp as ca serpent's,

and dunder their lips is the evenom of asps. Selah

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

preserve me from zviolent men,

who have planned to trip up my feet.

⁵The 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

⁶iI say to the Lord, You are my God;

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

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

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

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

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

⁹As for the head of those who surround me,

let nthe mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

¹⁰Let oburning coals fall upon them!

Let them be cast into fire,

into miry pits, no more to rise!

¹¹Let not the slanderer be established in the land;

let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

¹²I know that the Lord will pmaintain the cause of the afflicted,

and qwill execute justice for the needy.

¹³Surely rthe righteous shall give thanks to your name;

sthe upright shall dwell in your presence.