Psalm 140 N.
Words: Sternhold and Hopkins, The Whole Book of Psalms Collected into English Metre
1 Lord, save me from the evil man,
and from his pride and spite,
And from all those also who do
in violence delight:
2 Who evermore on me make war,
their tongues, 1o, they have whet
Like serpents; underneath their lips
is adders' poison set.
3 Keep me, O Lord, from wicked hands,
preserve me to abide
Free from the cruel man that means
to cause my steps to slide.
4 The proud have laid a snare for me,
and they have spread a net
With cords in my pathway, and gins **
for me also have set.
5 Therefore I said unto the Lord,
Thou art my God alone,
Hear me therefore, O hear the voice
wherewith I pray and moan.
6 O Lord my God, thou only art
the strength that saveth me;
My head in day of battle hath
been covered still by thee.
7 Let not, O Lord, the wicked have
the end of his desire,
Perform not his ill thought, lest he
with pride be set on fire.
8 Of them that compass me about,
the chiefest of them all,
Lord, let the mischief of their lips
upon their own heads fall;
9 Let coals fall on them, let them be
east in consuming flame,
And in deep pit, that never they
may rise out of the same.
10 For no backbiters shall on earth
be set in stable plight;
And evil to destruction still
shall hunt the cruel wight.
11 I know the Lord th' afflicted will
revenge, and judge the poor:
The just shall praise thy Name, and shall
dwell with thee evermore.
** gins: traps, snares, nets.
