An Evening Prayer
1 I call to you, Lord; help me now!
Listen to me when I call to you.
2 Receive my prayer as incense,
my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Lord, place a guard at my mouth,
a sentry at the door of my lips.
4 Keep me from wanting to do wrong
and from joining evil people in their wickedness.
May I never take part in their feasts.
5 Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness,
but I will never accept honor from evil people,
because I am always praying against their evil deeds.
6 When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs,
the people will admit that my words were true.
7 Like wood that is split and chopped into bits,
so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave.
8 But I keep trusting in you, my Sovereign Lord.
I seek your protection;
don't let me die!
9 Protect me from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those evildoers.
10 May the wicked fall into their own traps
while I go by unharmed.
1 A Psalme of David. O Lord, I call vpon thee: haste thee vnto me: heare my voyce, when I cry vnto thee. 2 Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense, and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips. 4 Incline not mine heart to euill, that I should commit wicked workes with men that worke iniquitie: and let me not eate of their delicates. 5 Let the righteous smite me: for that is a benefite: and let him reprooue me, and it shalbe a precious oyle, that shall not breake mine head: for within a while I shall euen pray in their miseries. 6 When their iudges shall be cast downe in stonie places, they shall heare my wordes, for they are sweete. 7 Our bones lye scattered at the graues mouth, as he that heweth wood or diggeth in the earth. 8 But mine eyes looke vnto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust: leaue not my soule destitute. 9 Keepe me from the snare, which they haue layde for me, and from the grennes of the workers of iniquitie. 10 Let the wicked fall into his nettes together, whiles I escape.