¹For the music director, a psalm of David. Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament! Protect my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.²Hide me from the plots of evil men, from the crowd of evildoers. ³They sharpen their tongues like swords; they aim their arrows, a slanderous charge, ⁴in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places. They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation. ⁵They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. They plan how to hide snares and boast, “Who will see them?”⁶They devise unjust schemes; they disguise a well-conceived plot. Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.⁷But God will shoot at them; suddenly they will be wounded by an arrow. ⁸Their slander will bring about their demise. All who see them will shudder, ⁹and all people will fear. They will proclaim what God has done, and reflect on his deeds. ¹⁰The godly will rejoice in the Lord and take shelter in him. All the morally upright will boast.