For the director. A melody of David.
140 Rescue me, O Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah}, from evil men;
Protect me from violent men,
2 Those who scheme evil in their hearts
And stir up conflict all day long.
3 They sharpen their tongue like that of a serpent;
Venom of vipers is behind their lips. (Selah)
4 Protect me, O Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah}, from the hands of the wicked;
Safeguard me from violent men,
Those who scheme to trip me.
5 The haughty ones hide a trap for me;
With ropes they spread out a net beside the path.
They set snares for me. (Selah)
6 I say to Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah}: “You are my Yahavah {Yah'-ha-vah'}.
Listen, O Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah}, to my pleas for help.”
7 O Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah} the Master, my strong Savior,
You shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah}, the desires of the wicked.
Do not let their plots succeed, so that they are not exalted. (Selah)
9 May the heads of those surrounding me
Be covered with the evil spoken by their lips.
10 May burning coals rain down on them.
May they be hurled into the fire,
Into deep pits, never to rise again.
11 May the slanderer find no place on the earth.
May evil pursue men of violence and strike them down.
12 I know that Ahv'ah {Heb. Yahvah} will defend the lowly
And give justice to the poor.
13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name;
The upright will dwell before your face.