① 1* 2Hear, O God, my voice as I plead, protect my life from the enemy’s threat.
3Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the designs of the evil-plotters, 4who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim bitter words like arrows, 5shooting at the innocent from cover, shooting suddenly without fear.
6They invite each other to evil-doing, they conspire to lay snares, saying, “No one will see us, 7who will uncover our scheme?”
Who peers into man will uncover them.
8And now God fires his arrows at them and suddenly they are struck down. 9Their own tongue brought them to ruin and all who see them shake their heads.
10Everyone will stand in awe; they proclaim the works of God and ponder on his deeds.
11The upright will rejoice and take refuge in the Lord; the upright of heart will glory in him.
- Everyone will stand in awe. We should not despise the fear of God, unless we belong to those perfect people who have become pure love of God. A child is not educated without correction. The great majority of humans are not angels, and they need to see that justice is effective. How many people have seen the justice of God rise in the eastern countries! Ask him to let it rise in our western world.
