1God, please listen to my complaint. ¹⁹⁷Protect me because my enemies scare me.

2Shelter me from the plots of the wicked, from this evil mob.

3What they say cuts like swords; they fire off poisonous words like arrows.

4They shoot from their hiding places at innocent people—doing this without warning, not afraid of being caught.

5They encourage one another to do evil, planning how to secretly trap people, telling themselves, “Nobody will notice.”

6They plot wicked things. “What a great plan we've created!” they say. There are no limits to the depths to which human minds and thoughts can sink.

7But God will shoot them with arrows; all of a sudden they will be wounded.

8What they themselves say will trip them up; people who see them will mock them, shaking their heads at them.

9Then everyone will be frightened. They will say that this is the work of God, and they will think about what he has done. ¹⁹⁸

10Those who are right with the Lord will be happy in him, they will go to him for protection. Those who live right will praise him.