• The Lord Implored to Defend the Psalmist against the Wicked.

  • 1 O Lord my God, in You I have taken refuge; Save me from all those who pursue me, and rescue me,
  • 2 Or he will tear my soul like a lion, Dragging me away, while there is no one to rescue me.
  • 3 O Lord my God, if I have done this, If there is injustice in my hands,
  • 4 If I have done evil to my friend, Or have plundered my enemy for no reason,
  • 5 Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it; And let him trample my life to the ground And lay my glory in the dust. Selah
  • 6 Arise, Lord, in Your anger; Raise Yourself against the rage of my enemies, And stir Yourself for me; You have ordered judgment.
  • 7 Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You, And return on high over it.
  • 8 The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
  • 9 Please let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God puts hearts and minds to the test.
  • 10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart.
  • 11 God is a righteous judge, And a God who shows indignation every day.
  • 12 If one does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and taken aim.
  • 13 He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.
  • 14 Behold, an evil person is pregnant with injustice, And he conceives harm and gives birth to lies.
  • 15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made.
  • 16 His harm will return on his own head, And his violence will descend on the top of his own head.
  • 17 I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.