1 H ear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Hear, O God, my voice, in my meditation, From the fear of an enemy Thou keepest my life,

2 H ide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

Hidest me from the secret counsel of evil doers, From the tumult of workers of iniquity.

3 w ho whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

Who sharpened as a sword their tongue, They directed their arrow -- a bitter word.

4 t hat they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

To shoot in secret places the perfect, Suddenly they shoot him, and fear not.

5 T hey encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

They strengthen for themselves an evil thing, They recount of the hiding of snares, They have said, `Who doth look at it?'

6 T hey search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

They search out perverse things, `We perfected a searching search,' And the inward part of man, and the heart deep.

7 B ut God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

And God doth shoot them an arrow, Sudden have been their wounds,

8 S o they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

And they cause him to stumble, Against them their own tongue, Every looker on them fleeth away.

9 A nd all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.

And all men fear, and declare the work of God, And His deed they have considered wisely.

10 T he righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

The righteous doth rejoice in Jehovah, And hath trusted in Him, And boast themselves do all the upright of heart!