1 O Lord my God, in You I take refuge and put my trust; save me from all those who pursue and persecute me, and deliver me,

O Lord my God, in You I have put my trust. Save me from all those who come for me, and keep me safe.

2 L est my foe tear my life like a lion, dragging me away while there is none to deliver.

Or they will tear me like a lion, carrying me away where there is no one to help.

3 O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

O Lord my God, if I have done this, and there is guilt on my hands,

4 I f I have paid back with evil him who was at peace with me or without cause have robbed him who was my enemy,

if I have done wrong to him who was at peace with me, or without a reason have robbed him who worked against me,

5 L et the enemy pursue my life and take it; yes, let him trample my life to the ground and lay my honor in the dust. Selah!

let him who hates me come for me and catch me. Let him break me under his feet until I die, and lay my honor in the dust.

6 A rise, O Lord, in Your anger; lift up Yourself against the rage of my enemies; and awake for me the justice and vindication You have commanded.

Rise up in Your anger, O Lord. Rise up against the anger of those who hate me. Awake, my God, and help me. Prove what is right.

7 L et the assembly of the peoples be gathered about You, and return on high over them.

Let the people gather around You, and rule over them from Your throne.

8 T he Lord judges the people; judge me, O Lord, and do me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

May the Lord judge which people are guilty or not. O Lord, judge in my favor if I am right with You, and if I am without blame.

9 O h, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; for You, Who try the hearts and emotions and thinking powers, are a righteous God.

Let the sins of the sinful stop. But build up those who are right with You. For the God Who is right and good tests both the hearts and the minds.

10 M y defense and shield depend on God, Who saves the upright in heart.

I am kept safe by God, Who saves those who are pure in heart.

11 G od is a righteous Judge, yes, a God Who is indignant every day.

God is always right in how He judges. He is angry with the sinful every day.

12 I f a man does not turn and repent, will whet His sword; He has strung and bent His bow and made it ready.

If a man is not sorry for his sins and will not turn from them, God will make His sword sharp. He will string His bow and make it ready.

13 H e has also prepared for him deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.

He takes up His sword and the bow of death. And He makes arrows of fire.

14 B ehold, conceives iniquity and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.

See how the sinful man thinks up sins and plans trouble and lies start growing inside him.

15 H e made a pit and hollowed it out and has fallen into the hole which he made.

He has dug out a deep hole, and has fallen into the hole he has dug.

16 H is mischief shall fall back in return upon his own head, and his violence come down upon his own scalp.

The trouble he makes will return to him. When he hurts others it will come down on his own head.

17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

I will give thanks to the Lord because He is right and good. I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.