God Speaks
140 For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, rescue me from evil people.
Protect me from those who are violent,
2 those who plot evil in their hearts
and stir up trouble all day long.
3 Their tongues sting like a snake;
the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude
4 O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.
Protect me from those who are violent,
for they are plotting against me.
5 The proud have set a trap to catch me;
they have stretched out a net;
they have placed traps all along the way. Interlude
6 I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”
Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!
7 O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me,
you protected me on the day of battle.
8 Lord, do not let evil people have their way.
Do not let their evil schemes succeed,
or they will become proud. Interlude
9 Let my enemies be destroyed
by the very evil they have planned for me.
10 Let burning coals fall down on their heads.
Let them be thrown into the fire
or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.
11 Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.
Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.
12 But I know the Lord will help those they persecute;
he will give justice to the poor.
13 Surely righteous people are praising your name;
the godly will live in your presence.
141 A psalm of David.
1 O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry!
Listen when I cry to you for help!
2 Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
and my upraised hands as an evening offering.
3 Take control of what I say, O Lord,
and guard my lips.
4 Don’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.
5 Let 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.
6 When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,
the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.
7 Like rocks brought up by a plow,
the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.
8 I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord.
You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.
9 Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do wrong.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
but let me escape.
142 A psalm of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A prayer.
1 I cry out to the Lord;
I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
2 I pour out my complaints before him
and tell him all my troubles.
3 When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
my enemies have set traps for me.
4 I 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.
5 Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, “You are my place of refuge.
You are all I really want in life.
6 Hear my cry,
for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison
so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me,
for you are good to me.”
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding each of Psalms 140-142:
1. What does this psalm tell me about God?
2. What does this psalm tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Psalm 140
1. The LORD God is sovereign and will deal with the proud and wicked ones in His time and in His way, now or in eternity.
2. There are wicked people in this world who are set on destroying those who are striving to behave righteously.
Psalm 141
1. God does hear and answer the prayers of those who trust and obey Him.
2. People can turn to the LORD for help in controlling their words and actions.
Psalm 142
1. The LORD God is the one person who knows all about us and our situation. He will listen and act.
2. People can always cry out to the LORD in whatever trouble they may be facing.
Prayer:
3. How might I pray regarding Psalms 140-142?
O LORD, please rescue Your people from evildoers who spread violence and lies. Use the traps they set and their own words against them. Listen to the cries for mercy from those who are seeking You and Your ways. Don’t let evildoers prosper in our land. Give Your chosen ones protection, provision, and peace in times of disaster. Then the godly will praise You and live in Your presence. Listen, O LORD, to my cries for help. Take control of my lips and guard what I say. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in wickedness. Correct me when I’m wrong, so that I can be a better child of God. Deal severely with the wicked so that they and others will see the error of their ways. Please don’t let the wicked kill the righteous. Thank You, Father God, that I can pour out my complaints before You and tell You all my troubles, as long as I do it respectfully. Show me any traps my enemies have set for me so that I can avoid them. There is no one else I can turn to who can really help. There is no God but You. You are my refuge. You are all I really want or need in life. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. May others who are godly crowd around me, for You, O God, are so good to me. May we all bring glory to Your name. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalms 140-142?
- I will ask the LORD how He wants to use me to fight against violence and bring justice to the poor.
- I will seek to expose the schemes of evil people so that their plans do not succeed.
- I will memorize Psalm 141:3-4 so that I can use these requests in my personal prayer time.
- I will take refuge in the LORD and cry out to Him in the midst of all my troubles.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.