Psalms 56; Psalms 120; Psalms 140-142 - Prayer Tents

56[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time the Philistines seized him in Gath. To be sung to the tune “Dove on Distant Oaks.”] O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long.H5329H3128H4387H1732H6430H270H1661H2603H430H582H7602H3898H3117H3905 2I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me.H8324H3117H7602H7227H3898H4791 3But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.H3117H3372H982 4I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?H430H1984H1697H430H982H3372H1320H6213 5They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.H3117H6087H1697H4284H7451 6They come together to spy on me—watching my every step, eager to kill me.H1481H6845H6845H8104H6119H6960H5315 7Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down.H6405H205H639H3381H5971H430 8You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.H5608H5112H7760H1832H4997H5612 9My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!H3117H7121H341H7725H268H3045H430 10I praise God for what he has promised; Yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.H430H1984H1697H3068H1984H1697 11I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?H430H982H3372H120H6213 12I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.H5088H430H7999H8426 13For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.H5337H5315H4194H7272H1762H1980H6440H430H216H2416

120[A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.] I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.H7892H4609H6869H7121H3068H6030 2Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.H5337H5315H3068H8267H8193H7423H3956 3O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will he increase your punishment?H5414H3254H7423H3956 4You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals.H8150H2671H1368H1513H7574 5How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar.H190H1481H4902H7931H168H6938 6I am tired of living among people who hate peace.H5315H7227H7931H8130H7965 7I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war!H7965H1696H4421

140[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent,H5329H4210H1732H2502H3068H7451H120H5341H2555H376 2those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.H2803H7451H3820H3117H1481H4421 3Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. InterludeH8150H3956H5175H5919H2534H8193H5542 4O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.H8104H3068H3027H7563H5341H2555H376H2803H1760H6471 5The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. InterludeH1343H2934H6341H2256H6566H7568H3027H4570H7896H4170H5542 6I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!H559H3068H410H238H6963H8469H3068 7O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.H3069H136H5797H3444H5526H7218H3117H5402 8Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. InterludeH5414H3068H3970H7563H6329H2162H7311H5542 9Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.H7218H4524H5999H8193H3680 10Let burning coals fall down on their heads. Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.H1513H4131H4131H5307H784H4113H6965 11Don’t let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.H376H3956H3559H776H7451H6679H2555H376H4073 12But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor.H3045H3068H6213H1779H6041H4941H34 13Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.H6662H3034H8034H3477H3427H6440

141[A psalm of David.] O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help!H4210H1732H3068H7121H2363H238H6963H7121 2Accept my prayer as incense offered to you, and my upraised hands as an evening offering.H8605H3559H6440H7004H4864H3709H6153H4503 3Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.H7896H8108H3068H6310H5341H1817H8193 4Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong.H5186H3820H7451H1697H5953H7562H5949H376H6466H205H3898H4516 5Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it. But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds.H6662H1986H2617H3198H7218H8081H5106H7218H8605H7451 6When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff, the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.H8199H8058H5553H3027H8085H561H5276 7Like rocks brought up by a plow, the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.H6106H6340H7585H6310H6398H1234H776 8I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don’t them kill me.H5869H3069H136H2620H6168H5315H6168 9Keep me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those who do wrong.H8104H3027H6341H3369H4170H6466H205 10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.H7563H5307H4364H3162H5674

142[A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.] I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord’s mercy.H4905H1732H8605H4631H2199H3068H6963H6963H3068H2603 2I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles.H8210H7879H6440H5046H6440H6869 3When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me.H7307H5848H3045H5410H734H2098H1980H2934H6341 4I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.H5027H3225H7200H5234H4498H6H1875H5315 5Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.H2199H3068H559H4268H2506H776H2416 6Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.H7181H7440H1809H3966H1809H5337H7291H553 7Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.”H3318H5315H4525H3034H8034H6662H3803H1580