Psalm 139

A prayer to be delivered from the wicked.

Does this psalm differ from what you were expecting? Don't be confused. There are two systems for arranging the psalms: the Septuagint and the Masoretic. We use the Septuagint system here. In the Masoretic system, which is used in most modern Bible translations, this psalm is called Psalm 140, and the previous psalm is known as Psalm 139.

English (Douay-Rheims)

1 Unto the end, a psalm of David.

2 Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. Who have proposed to supplant my steps:
6 The proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7 I said to the Lord: Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not thou forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to thy name: and the upright shall dwell with thy countenance.

Old Testament first published 1609 by the English College at Douay
New Testament first published 1582 by the English College at Rheims
Revised and Annotated 1749 by Bishop Richard Challoner
Imprimatur. +James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, September 1, 1899

Latin (Clementine Vulgate)

1 In finem. Psalmus David.

2 Eripe me, Domine, ab homine malo;
a viro iniquo eripe me.
3 Qui cogitaverunt iniquitates in corde,
tota die constituebant prælia.
4 Acuerunt linguas suas sicut serpentis;
venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum.
5 Custodi me, Domine, de manu peccatoris,
et ab hominibus iniquis eripe me.
Qui cogitaverunt supplantare gressus meos:
6 absconderunt superbi laqueum mihi.
Et funes extenderunt in laqueum;
juxta iter, scandalum posuerunt mihi.
7 Dixi Domino: Deus meus es tu;
exaudi, Domine, vocem deprecationis meæ.
8 Domine, Domine, virtus salutis meæ,
obumbrasti super caput meum in die belli.
9 Ne tradas me, Domine, a desiderio meo peccatori:
cogitaverunt contra me;
ne derelinquas me, ne forte exaltentur.
10 Caput circuitus eorum:
labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos.
11 Cadent super eos carbones;
in ignem dejicies eos:
in miseriis non subsistent.
12 Vir linguosus non dirigetur in terra;
virum injustum mala capient in interitu.
13 Cognovi quia faciet Dominus judicium inopis,
et vindictam pauperum.
14 Verumtamen justi confitebuntur nomini tuo,
et habitabunt recti cum vultu tuo.

Transcribed as part of the Clementine Vulgate Project
Please notify the original transcriber (little.mouth@soon.com) of any errors in this Latin edition