A Psalm of David. Lord, I cry to Thee: make haste to me; give ear to my voice, when I cry to Thee.

A psalm of David. O L rd, when I call You, quicken to [hear] me. Listen to my voice when I call upon You.

Let my prayer be set forth before Thee like incense; and the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.

Let my prayer be established as incense before You; the lifting of my hands [in prayer] as the evening offering.

Set a guard, O Lord, to my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Set, O L rd, a guard on my mouth [(that my prayers be acceptable to You)]. Guard the door of my lips [i.e., the upper lip].

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked deeds with men who work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let my heart not incline to an evil thing, to do acts in wickedness with men who are workers of iniquity, and let me not partake of their feasts.

Let the righteous strike me in kindness: and let him rebuke me; it shall be as oil for my head: let not my head refuse it: but still shall my prayer be against their evil plight.

Let a righteous [prophet] smite me [i.e., chastise me] with ["blows" that are really] lovingkindness, and let him reprove me. May the oil of my head [(the anointment oil by which I was made king)] not turn my head [from his chastisement, to partake of the feast of the wicked.] For as long as my prayer [is in my mouth], it is against their evils.

When their judges are thrown down upon the rocks, then they will hear how sweet were my words.

[For] their judges [and leaders] have slipped [from the path of good] by the "rock" [(the evil inclination and a heart as hard as rock)], though they have heard the pleasantness of my words [in praise of the mitzvoth of the L rd.]

As when one cuts and breaks up wood on the earth, so are our bones strewn at the mouth of She᾽ol.

As split [wood] scattered over the earth, so our bones [(those of David and his men)] were scattered over the mouth of Sheol [(because of the evils of these men)].

But my eyes are towards Thee, O God the Lord: in Thee I seek refuge; do not pour away my life.

[(reversion to verse 3)] For upon You, O G d, my L rd, are my eyes. I took refuge in You.

Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and the traps of the workers of iniquity.

Save me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the [other] traps of the workers of iniquity.

Let the wicked fall together into their own nets, whilst I escape.

Let the evil-doers fall into their [own] snares, all together, before I pass [by them (the snares)].