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 my voice, O God, in my meditation; 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 plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,

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

Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

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

That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

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 talk of laying snares secretly; 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 perfected a shrewd scheme.” Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.

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

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded.

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

So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away.

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

All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.

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 be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.