Psalms 140
A prayer for protection from violent, scheming men.
Psalm 140 is an urgent prayer for protection, asking to be delivered "from the evil man" and "the violent man" whose tongues are "sharpened like a serpent." Its plea for rescue contrasts with the searching, personal reflection of Psalms 139 just before it.
The `title of the hundrid and fourtithe salm. `The salm `of Dauith. Lord, Y criede to thee, here thou me; yyue thou tent to my vois, whanne Y schal crye to thee.
Mi preier be dressid as encense in thi siyt; the reisyng of myn hondis be as the euentid sacrifice.
Lord, sette thou a keping to my mouth; and a dore of stonding aboute to my lippis.
Bowe thou not myn herte in to wordis of malice; to excuse excusingis in synne. With men worchinge wickidnesse; and Y schal not comyne with the chosun men of hem.
A iust man schal repreue me in mersi, and schal blame me; but the oile of a synner make not fat myn heed. For whi and yit my preier is in the wel plesaunt thingis of hem;
for the domesmen of hem ioyned to the stoon weren sopun vp. Here thei my wordis,
for tho weren myyti. As fatnesse is brokun out on the erthe; oure bonys ben scatered niy helle. Lord, Lord,
for myn iyen ben to thee, Y hopide in thee; take thou not awei my soule.
Kepe thou me fro the snare which thei ordeyneden to me; and fro the sclaundris of hem that worchen wickidnesse. Synneris schulen falle in the nett therof;
Y am aloone til Y passe.