A psalm written by David for the choir director, when Saul, wanting to kill David, sent men to watch David’s house

1God, save me from my enemies! Protect me from those who want to attack me!

2Rescue me from men who want to do what is wicked, men who are murderers!

3Look! They are waiting to kill me! Fierce men have gathered to assault me. Yahweh, they are doing that even though I have not done what is wrong!

4It is not because I have committed any sin against them that they run and get ready to attack me.

5Yahweh my God, commander of the armies of heaven, the one we Israelis worship, arise and punish the ungodly/heathen people of all the nations;
do not be merciful to those wicked people who have ◄acted treacherously toward/secretly planned to harm► us. (Think about that!)

6They return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs [SIM] as they prowl around this city.

7They loudly say terrible things; they say [MTY] many things that injure people like [MET] swords do, but they think, “No one will [RHQ] hear us!”

8But Yahweh, you laugh at them. You ◄scoff at/ridicule► the people of the pagan nations.

9God, I have confidence in you because you are very strong; you are my refuge.

10Because you love me, you will come to save me; you will allow me to watch while you defeat my enemies.

11But do not kill them immediately in order that my people will not forget how you punished them! Instead, Lord, you who are like a shield that protects us [MET], scatter them by your power, and then defeat them.

12Because what they say [MTY] is sinful, allow them to be trapped for being proud. Because they are always cursing and telling lies,

13because you are angry, get rid of them; destroy them completely
in order that people will know that you rule over us, your Israeli people,
and that you rule over all the earth. (Think about that!)

14My enemies return each evening, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl around this city.

15They roam around, searching for food;
and if they do not find enough, they growl.

16But as for me, I will sing about your power; every morning I will sing joyfully about your faithfully loving us. I will sing about how you protected me when I was very distressed.

17God, you are the one who enables me to be strong; you are my refuge;
you faithfully love me.