For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.

• ¹Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
• Set me on high from those who rise up against me.

• ²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.
• Save me from the bloodthirsty men.

• ³For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.
• The mighty gather themselves together against me,
• not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

• ⁴I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
• Rise up, behold, and help me!

• ⁵You, Yahweh God of Armies, the God of Israel,
• rouse yourself to punish the nations.
• Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.

• Selah.

• ⁶They return at evening, howling like dogs,
• and prowl around the city.

• ⁷Behold, they spew with their mouth.
• Swords are in their lips,
• “For,” they say, “who hears us?”

• ⁸But you, Yahweh, laugh at them.
• You scoff at all the nations.

• ⁹Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,
• for God is my high tower.

• ¹⁰My God will go before me with his loving kindness.
• God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.

• ¹¹Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.
• Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.

• ¹²For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,
• let them be caught in their pride,
• for the curses and lies which they utter.

• ¹³Consume them in wrath.
• Consume them, and they will be no more.

• Let them know that God rules in Jacob,
• to the ends of the earth.

• Selah.

• ¹⁴At evening let them return.
• Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.

• ¹⁵They shall wander up and down for food,
• and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

• ¹⁶But I will sing of your strength.
• Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning.

• For you have been my high tower,
• a refuge in the day of my distress.

• ¹⁷To you, my strength, I will sing praises.
• For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.