139.

(1) To the leader [of the musicians]. Song of David. God! You have tested me and recognized me. (2) You know when I sit down and when I get up, you understand my thoughts from afar. (3) Whether I am on the way, whether I am resting, you surround me, all my ways are known to you. (4) For there is not yet a word on my tongue, but you, O God, already know it perfectly. (5) Behind and in front of me, you encompass me and lay your hand on me. (6) Knowledge is hidden from me—it is high, I cannot comprehend it! (7) Where shall I go from your spirit, whither shall I flee from your countenance? (8) If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I lie down in the grave, there you are. (9) Whether I fly on wings like the dawn, or move to the edge of the sea, (10) and there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold me. (11) Shall I say: "Only darkness will hide me, night will surround me with darkness." (12) But even darkness will not obscure from you, but the night is as bright as day, like darkness and light. (13) For you have made my intestines,287 you have knitted me in my mother's womb. (14) I give you glory, for I am wonderfully built. Wondrous are Thy creations, and my soul is fully aware of this. (15) My essence is not hidden from you, for I was created in secret, woven in the bowels of the earth. (16) Thy eyes have seen my embryo; in Thy book all things are recorded: the days created for me are all one for Him[289]. (17) How dear to me are your thoughts, O God, how powerful are their beginnings! (18) I will count them, for they are more numerous than sand; even if I be awake all my life, I am with You[290]. (19) Oh, that You, the Almighty, had struck down the evildoer! The bloodthirsty would have left me! (20) They exalt you deceitfully, and in vain do your enemies exalt you. (21) Do I not hate those who hate you, O God, and do I not fight against those who rebel against you? (22) I hate them with complete hatred: they have become my enemies. (23) Try me, O God, know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts, (24) and see, if I am on the corruptible path, then direct me to the path of eternity.

140.

(1) To the leader [of the musicians], the song of David. (2) Deliver me, O God, from the wicked man, keep me from the thief. (3) From those who plot evil in their hearts, every day they take up arms against battle. (4) They sharpen their tongues like a serpent, the venom of an adder under their mouths, truly! (5) Preserve me, O God, from the hands of the evildoer, from the robber, from those who plot to shake my feet. (6) The haughty ones hide snares and nooses for me, spread their nets at the bend of the road, and lay out snares for me forever. (7) I said to God, "You are my Almighty! Hear, O God, the voice of my supplications! (8) God, my Lord, is the power of my salvation, who covered my head on the day when they came for me with weapons. (9) God forbid the passions of the evildoer to be realized, do not allow his evil plan to come true: they will become proud forever! 10 May the heads of those around me be covered with the deception of their own mouths! (11) Let hot coals fall on them, and he will cast them into the fire, into deep pits, so that they will not get up. (12) A man with evil tongues will not be established on earth. Evil will drag the robber into the abysses. (13) I know that God will execute judgment on the oppressed, and justice on the poor. (14) Only the righteous will praise Your name, but the honest will dwell before You."

141.

(1) The Song of David. God! Unto Thee I cry: Hasten unto me, hearken unto the voice of my supplication, when I call upon Thee! (2) May my prayer be as perfect as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening offering. (3) Put a guard over my lips, O God, and guard the doors of my lips. (4) Do not let my heart incline to evil deeds, to commit evil deeds with people who do wrong, and let me not eat of their sweets. (5) Let the righteous man punish me: it is mercy; and let him rebuke me: this is oil, [anointing] of the head, which will not come down from my head, as long as my prayers are against their wickedness. 6 Their leaders, who would have fallen from the cliff, heard my words how gentle they were. (7) It is as if we were being cleaved and crushed on the ground, and our bones were falling into the mouth of hell. (8) But to you, O God my Lord, my eyes are open; in Thee I trust, cast not away my soul! (9) Protect me from the snare set for me, from the snares of those who are deceitful. (10) The wicked will fall into their nets, every single one of them, before I pass away.

142.

David's prudent instruction when he was in the cave. (2) With my voice I cry out to God, with my voice I pray to God. (3) I pour out my supplication before him, I reveal my trouble to him. (4) When my spirit was fainting within me, for you know my way, they laid a trap for me in the way I was walking. (5) I look to the right side and see that no one recognizes me: there is no refuge for me, no one cares for my soul. (6) I cried out to you, O God, I said, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living! (7) Listen to my prayer, for I am very faint; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. (8) Bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to me in your name. Through me the righteous will be magnified when You show good to me."

143.

(1) The Song of David. God! Hear my prayer, hear my prayer according to Thy faithfulness, answer me according to Thy justice! (2) And do not call your servant to judgment, for no one living will be justified in your sight. (3) For the enemy pursues my soul, he has trampled my life into the ground, he has forced me to live in darkness, as those who died long ago. (4) And my spirit is discouraged within me, my heart is desolate within me. (5) I remember the days of old, I meditate on all your works, I meditate on the works of your hands. (6) I stretch out my hands to you, my soul to you, like a thirsty land forever. (7) Make haste, answer me, O God; my spirit is faint; hide not Thy countenance from me, lest I be likened to those who descend into the grave. (8) Let me hear your mercy in the morning, for I trust in you. Show me the way in which I shall go, for to Thee I lift up my soul. (9) Deliver me, O God, from my enemies, for I have taken refuge with you. (10) Teach me to do your will, for you are my Almighty; Thy good spirit shall bring me to the ground level. (11) For your name's sake, O God, give me vitality, for your justice's sake, bring my soul out of trouble. (12) And according to your mercy, destroy my enemies, destroy all those who oppress my soul, for I am your servant.