(To the choir-master. A psalm. Of David.)

In finem. Psalmus David.

Unto the end, a psalm for David.

O God, listen to my prayer when I plead with thee, save me from the threats of my mortal foe.

Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam cum deprecor; a timore inimici eripe animam meam.

Hear, O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to thee: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.

Thine to defend me from this conspiracy of malice, this throng of evil-doers;

Protexisti me a conventu malignantium, a multitudine operantium iniquitatem.

Thou hast protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.

the tongues that wound like a sharpened sword, the poisoned words aimed at me, like arrows.

Quia exacuerunt ut gladium linguas suas; intenderunt arcum rem amaram,

For they have whetted their tongues like a sword; they have bent their bow, a bitter thing,

Stealthily they attack the innocent:

ut sagittent in occultis immaculatum.

to shoot in secret the undefiled.

suddenly, from a safe vantage-point, they wound him. See them pledged to an infamous resolve, plotting to lay snares for me, sure that they will go unseen!

Subito sagittabunt eum, et non timebunt; firmaverunt sibi sermonem nequam. Narraverunt ut absconderent laqueos; dixerunt: Quis videbit eos?

They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness. They have talked of hiding snares; they have said: Who shall see them?

With what care they hatch their designs, planning treason double-dyed! Let the thoughts of man’s heart be deep as they will,

Scrutati sunt iniquitates; defecerunt scrutantes scrutinio. Accedet homo ad cor altum,

They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search. Man shall come to a deep heart:

yet God has arrows, too, to smite them with, sudden wounds to deal them;

et exaltabitur Deus. Sagittæ parvulorum factæ sunt plagæ eorum,

and God shall be exalted. The arrows of children are their wounds:

all their conspiring plays them false. Scornfully the onlookers shake their heads,

et infirmatæ sunt contra eos linguæ eorum. Conturbati sunt omnes qui videbant eos,

and their tongues against them are made weak. All that saw them were troubled;

awe-stricken every one; who but will acclaim God’s power, who but will ponder his great acts?

et timuit omnis homo. Et annuntiaverunt opera Dei, et facta ejus intellexerunt.

and every man was afraid. And they declared the works of God: and understood his doings.

Honest men will rejoice and put their trust in the Lord; upright hearts will not boast in vain.

Lætabitur justus in Domino, et sperabit in eo, et laudabuntur omnes recti corde.

The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.