But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory [and my honor], and the One who lifts my head.

For there is nothing trustworthy or reliable or truthful in what they say;
Their heart is destruction [just a treacherous chasm, a yawning gulf of lies].
Their throat is an open grave;
They [glibly] flatter with their [silken] tongue.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous [those in right standing with You];
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.

You are my hiding place; You, Lord, protect me from trouble;
You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah.

He [my companion] has put out his hands against those who were at peace with him;
He has broken his covenant [of friendship and loyalty].

Let them be as a snail which melts away (secretes slime) as it goes along,
Like the miscarriage of a woman which never sees the sun.

Men of low degree are only a breath (emptiness), and men of [high] rank are a lie (delusion).
In the balances they go up [because they have no measurable weight or value];
They are together lighter than a breath.

But God will shoot them with an [unexpected] arrow;
Suddenly they will be wounded.

The Lord gives the command [to take Canaan];
The women who proclaim the good news are a great host (army);

May their table [with all its abundance and luxury] become a snare [to them];
And when they are in peace [secure at their sacrificial feasts], may it become a trap.

And it will please the Lord better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.

Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who always prosper and are at ease [in the world]; they have increased in wealth.

But You, O Lord, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.

For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
Or as a watch in the night.

You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep [forgotten as soon as they are gone];
In the morning they are like grass which grows anew—

He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions,
And under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and a wall.

You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were a forgiving God to them,
And yet an avenger of their evil practices.

As for man, his days are like grass;
Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

[You are the One] who covers Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,

The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the shephanim.

And served their idols,
Which became a [dreadful] snare to them.

They staggered and trembled like a drunken man,
And were at their wits’ end [all their wisdom was useless].

Your people will offer themselves willingly [to participate in Your battle] in the day of Your power;
In the splendor of holiness, from the womb of the dawn,
Your young men are to You as the dew.

The Lord has sworn [an oath] and will not change His mind:
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Their heart is insensitive like fat [their minds are dull and brutal],
But I delight in Your law.

Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud [who disregard God’s law].

Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb a reward.

Man is like a mere breath;
His days are like a shadow that passes away.