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Prayer for Protection from the Wicked.

^1 (C1)Listen to my words, O LORD,
Consider my ^(C2)groaning and sighing.

² Heed ^(C1)the sound of my cry for help, ^(C2)my King and my God,
For to You I pray.

³ In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice;
In the ^(C1)morning I will prepare a prayer and a sacrifice for You and ^(C2)watch and wait for You to speak to my heart.

⁴ For You are not a God ^(C1)who takes pleasure in wickedness;
^(C2)No evil person dwells with You.

^5 (C1)The boastful and the arrogant will not ^(C2)stand in Your sight;
You ^(C3)hate all who do evil.

⁶ You ^(C1)destroy those who tell lies;
The LORD detests and rejects ^(C2)the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

⁷ But as for me, I will enter Your house ^(C1)through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy;
At Your holy temple I will ^(C2)bow obediently in ^(C3)reverence for You.

^8 (C1)O LORD, lead me ^(C2)in Your righteousness ^(C3)because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight (direct, right) before me.

⁹ For there is ^(C1)nothing trustworthy or reliable or truthful in what they say;
Their ^(C2)heart is destruction just a treacherous chasm, a yawning gulf of lies.
Their ^(C3)throat is an open grave;
They glibly flatter with their silken tongue. ^(VR1)

¹⁰ Hold them guilty, O God;
Let them fall ^(C1)by their own designs and councils!
^(C2)Cast them out because of the abundance of their transgressions,
For they are ^(C3)mutinous and have rebelled against You.

¹¹ But let all who ^(C1)take refuge and put their trust in You ^(C2)rejoice,
Let them ever sing for joy;
Because You ^(C3)cover and shelter them,
Let those who ^(C4)love Your name be joyful and exult in You.

¹² For You, O LORD, ^(C1)bless the righteous man the one who is in right standing with You;
You ^(C2)surround him with favor as with a shield.