Psalms 140
14 verses · Hebrew with nikud, English alongside · tap 🔊 to hear a verse
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
lamnatseakh mizmor ledavid
For the leader. A psalm of David.
חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הֹוָה מֵאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי׃
khalletseni Adonai me'adam ra me'ish khamasim tintsereni
Rescue me, O ETERNAL One, from evildoers; save me from lawless opponents,
אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָשְׁב֣וּ רָע֣וֹת בְּלֵ֑ב כׇּל־י֝֗וֹם יָג֥וּרוּ מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃
asher khashevu ra'ot belev kol-yom yaguru milkhamot
whose minds are full of evil schemes, who plot war every day.
שָׁ֥נְנ֣וּ לְשׁוֹנָם֮ כְּֽמוֹ־נָ֫חָ֥שׁ חֲמַ֥ת עַכְשׁ֑וּב תַּ֖חַת שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ סֶֽלָה׃
shanenu leshonam kemo-nakhash khamat akhshuv takhat sefatemo selah
They sharpen their tongues like serpents; spiders’ poison is on their lips. Selah.
שׇׁמְרֵ֤נִי יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ מִ֘ידֵ֤י רָשָׁ֗ע מֵאִ֣ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵ֑נִי אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָ֝שְׁב֗וּ לִדְח֥וֹת פְּעָמָֽי׃
shomreni Adonai mide rasha me'ish khamasim tintsereni asher khashevu lidkhot pe'amay
O ETERNAL One, keep me out of the clutches of the wicked; save me from lawless opponents who scheme to make me fall.
טָ֥מְנֽוּ־גֵאִ֨ים ׀ פַּ֡ח לִ֗י וַחֲבָלִ֗ים פָּ֣רְשׂוּ רֶ֭שֶׁת לְיַד־מַעְגָּ֑ל מֹקְשִׁ֖ים שָׁתוּ־לִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃
tamenu-ge'im pakh li vakhavalim paresu reshet leyad-magal moqeshim shatu-li selah
Arrogant ones laid traps with ropes for me; they spread out a net along the way; they set snares for me. Selah.
אָמַ֣רְתִּי לַ֭יהֹוָה אֵ֣לִי אָ֑תָּה הַאֲזִ֥ינָה יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
amarti la-Adonai eli attah ha'azinah Adonai qol takhanunay
I said to GOD: You are my God; give ear, O ETERNAL One, to my pleas for mercy.
יֱהֹוִ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי עֹ֣ז יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י סַכֹּ֥תָה לְ֝רֹאשִׁ֗י בְּי֣וֹם נָֽשֶׁק׃
Adonai adonay oz yeshu'ati sakkotah leroshi beyom nasheq
O GOD, my Sovereign, the strength of my deliverance, You protected my head on the day of battle.
אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֭הֹוָה מַאֲוַיֵּ֣י רָשָׁ֑ע זְמָמ֥וֹ אַל־תָּ֝פֵ֗ק יָר֥וּמוּ סֶֽלָה׃
al-titten Adonai ma'avayye rasha zemamo al-tafeq yarumu selah
O ETERNAL One, do not grant the desires of the wicked; do not let their plan succeed, else they be exalted. Selah.
רֹ֥אשׁ מְסִבָּ֑י עֲמַ֖ל שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ (יכסומו) [יְכַסֵּֽימוֹ]׃
rosh mesibbay amal sefatemo (ykhsvmv) [yekhassemo]
May the heads of those who beset me be covered with the mischief of their lips.
(ימיטו) [יִמּ֥וֹטוּ] עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם גֶּחָ֫לִ֥ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יַפִּלֵ֑ם בְּ֝מַהֲמֹר֗וֹת בַּל־יָקֽוּמוּ׃
(ymytv) [yimmotu] alehem gekhalim ba'esh yappilem bemahamorot bal-yaqumu
May coals of fire drop down upon them, and they be cast into pits, never to rise again.
אִ֥ישׁ לָשׁוֹן֮ בַּל־יִכּ֢וֹן בָּ֫אָ֥רֶץ אִישׁ־חָמָ֥ס רָ֑ע יְ֝צוּדֶ֗נּוּ לְמַדְחֵפֹֽת׃
ish lashon bal-yikkon ba'arets ish-khamas ra yetsudennu lemadkhefot
Let slanderers have no place in the land; let the evil of the lawless drive them into corrals.
(ידעת) [יָדַ֗עְתִּי] כִּֽי־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה דִּ֣ין עָנִ֑י מִ֝שְׁפַּ֗ט אֶבְיֹנִֽים׃
(ydt) [yadati] ki-ya'aseh Adonai din ani mishpat evyonim
I know that GOD will champion the cause of the poor, the right of the needy.
אַ֣ךְ צַ֭דִּיקִים יוֹד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֵשְׁב֥וּ יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ {פ}
akh tsaddiqim yodu lishmekha yeshevu yesharim et-panekha
The righteous shall surely praise Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Hebrew text and English translation from Sefaria, under their Creative Commons licence.
Yaacov, native Jerusalemite
Want to go further with a teacher?
A real 30-minute lesson, one to one — Modern Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Yiddish or Aramaic. No card required.
Study 1-on-1 with YaacovPrefer a small group? Eight-week groups