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

Hear, O God, my voice in my plaint; preserve my life from fear of the enemy:

2 H idest me from the secret counsel of evil doers, From the tumult of workers of iniquity.

Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, from the tumultuous crowd of the workers of iniquity,

3 W ho sharpened as a sword their tongue, They directed their arrow -- a bitter word.

Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword, have aimed their arrow, a bitter word;

4 T o shoot in secret places the perfect, Suddenly they shoot him, and fear not.

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

5 T hey strengthen for themselves an evil thing, They recount of the hiding of snares, They have said, `Who doth look at it?'

They encourage themselves in an evil matter, they concert to hide snares; they say, Who will see them?

6 T hey search out perverse things, `We perfected a searching search,' And the inward part of man, and the heart deep.

They devise iniquities: We have it ready, the plan is diligently sought out. And each one's inward and heart is deep.

7 A nd God doth shoot them an arrow, Sudden have been their wounds,

But God will shoot an arrow at them: suddenly are they wounded;

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

By their own tongue they are made to fall over one another: all that see them shall flee away.

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

And all men shall fear, and shall declare God's doing; and they shall wisely consider his work.

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

The righteous shall rejoice in Jehovah, and trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.