Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

1 I call to you, Lord, come quicklyt to me;

hear meu when I call to you.

2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;v

may the lifting up of my handsw be like the evening sacrifice.x

3 Set a guard over my mouth,y Lord;

keep watch over the door of my lips.z

4 Do not let my hearta be drawn to what is evil

so that I take part in wicked deedsb

along with those who are evildoers;

do not let me eat their delicacies.c

5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;

let him rebuke med—that is oil on my head.e

My head will not refuse it,

for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,f

and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.

7 They will say, “As one plowsg and breaks up the earth,h

so our bones have been scattered at the mouthi of the grave.”

8 But my eyes are fixedj on you, Sovereign Lord;

in you I take refugek—do not give me over to death.

9 Keep me safel from the traps set by evildoers,m

from the snaresn they have laid for me.

10 Let the wicked fallo into their own nets,

while I pass by in safety.p

Psalm 142a

A maskilb of David. When he was in the cave.q A prayer.

1 I cry aloudr to the Lord;

I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.s

2 I pour out before him my complaint;t

before him I tell my trouble.u

3 When my spirit grows faintv within me,

it is you who watch over my way.

In the path where I walk

people have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;

no one is concerned for me.

I have no refuge;w

no one caresx for my life.

5 I cry to you, Lord;

I say, “You are my refuge,y

my portionz in the land of the living.”a

6 Listen to my cry,b

for I am in desperate need;c

rescue med from those who pursue me,

for they are too stronge for me.

7 Set me free from my prison,f

that I may praise your name.g

Then the righteous will gather about me

because of your goodness to me.h