Psalm 140
1 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
1 Deliver me, O | Lord, • from the | evil • man; ||
and pre- | serve me | from the | wicked • man; ||
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
2 Who imagine | mischief • in their | hearts, ||
and stir up | strife | all the • day | long. ||
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
3 They have sharpened their | tongues • like a | serpent; ||
adder's | 3 poison is | 3 under their | lips. ||
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
4 Keep me, O Lord, from the | hands of • the un- | godly; ||
preserve me from the wicked men, who are | purposed to • over- | throw my | goings. ||
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
5 The proud have | laid a | snare • for me, ||
and spread a net abroad with cords; * | yea, and • set | traps • in my | way. ||
6 I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.
6 I said unto the Lord, | 3 Thou art my | God, ||
hear the | 3 voice of my | prayers, O | Lord. ||
7 O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
7 O Lord God, thou | 3 strength of my | health; ||
thou hast covered my | head • in the | day of | battle. ||
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
8 Let not the ungodly have his de- | sire, O | Lord; ||
let not his mischievous imagination prosper, | lest they | be too | proud. ||
9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
† 9 Let the mischief 3 of | their own | lips ||
fall upon the head of | them that | compass • me a- | bout. ||
10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
10 Let hot burning | coals | fall up•on them; ||
let them be cast into the fire, and into the pit, * that they | never • rise | up a- | gain. ||
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
11 A man full of words shall not | prosper up•on the | earth: ||
evil shall hunt the wicked | 3 person to | over- | throw him. ||
12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
12 Sure I am that the Lord will a- | venge the | poor, ||
and main- | tain the | cause • of the | helpless. ||
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
13 The righteous also shall give | thanks un•to thy | Name; ||
and the | just • shall con- | tinue • in thy | sight. ||
About the Pointing
The text of the Coverdale Psalter follows the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer. The pointing, suitably adapted, is taken from Charles Macpherson, Edward C. Bairstow, and Percy C. Buck, The English Psalter (Novello & Co., 1925).