Confessions Against Diabolical Enemies

2 He takes hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

3 He draws out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: He said to my soul, “I am your salvation”.

4 He confounds and puts to shame that seek my life: He turns them back and brings to confusion that devise my hurt.

5 He blows them away as chaff in the wind, the LORD’s angel working the bellows.

6 He makes their way dark and slippery: and lets the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 Everyone who ensnares my step or digs pit to catch me without cause.

8 Ruin overtakes them by surprise; the net they hid entangles them: into that very destruction He lets them fall.

9 Therefore, my soul rejoices in the LORD and delights in His salvation.

10 All my bones say, LORD, who is like unto you, who delivers me from him that is too strong for me, the poor and the needy from him that plunders him?

11 When malicious witnesses appear out of nowhere; accusing me of crimes I know nothing about.

12 When they pay me back misery for mercy, leaving my soul empty.

13 Yet when ever they were sick, I mourned for them. I deny myself by fasting for them and grieve if my prayers return unanswered.

14 I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother, as if I were grieving for my own mother.

15-16 But when I tripped they threw a party! All the nameless riffraff of the town came chanting insults about me. Like barbarians desecrating a shrine, they attacked my reputation.

17 Therefore, the Lord answers for me speedily. He rescues my soul from their brutalities; He protects my precious life from these lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among many people.

19 You disallow treacherous enemies from gloating over me: they like to wink and roll their eyes; but you cover their face with shame on account of me.

20 Violence, not peace, is their language; they devise deceitful matters against people, including me, even though I am innocent and minding my business.

21 Yes, it is suicidal to open the mouth in ugly grins against me; it is sheer stupidity to say of me, “Aha, aha, I can see your downfall”.

22 Because the Sovereign Lord sees my plights and does not keep silent at my case; my Lord and I are one.

23 He is always stirred up and awakened to my defense, even unto my cause; He will not put my life on the line.

24 The Lord my God vindicates me, according to His righteousness; and I don’t pay for their good time.

25 This one thing they don’t say to themselves, “Look, we got what we wanted”. This one thing they are deprived of saying about me, “We’ve chewed him/her up and spit him/her out”.

26 Those that would be hilarious at my expense are humiliated and disgraced; those who would magnify themselves against me are clothed with shame and dishonor.

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant (put your first name)”.

28 I will proclaim your righteousness, and I will sing your praise all day long (Ps 35).

1 I am blessed; I don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But my delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His word I meditate day and night.

3 I am like a tree planted by the rivers of water; I yield my fruit in my season and my leaf does not wither; whatever I do prosper. I shall not lack revelation into the word of God; whenever I need God’s wisdom, it comes to me. My dependency on the Holy Spirit is totally and unstoppable. My source of livelihood — spiritually and physically — shall not fail. My blessings arrive on time; I have my provisions before I need them. My fruits come on time and I shall not miscarry.

4 I am not ungodly and therefore my case is different. Unlike the chaff, no wind blows me away. I am too heavy to be shifted, pushed around or destabilized. I am solid on the ground, the Lord has established me and I cannot be threatened.

5 Therefore, unlike the ungodly, I shall not face the judgment; unlike the sinners, I am standing straight in the assembly of the righteous. I belong to the company of saints and the assembly of the righteous; therefore, I shall neither be disinherited in Christ nor be excluded from the grace of God.

6 I am righteous in Christ; therefore, the LORD watches over my way and I shall not perish like the wicked or the ungodly. Therefore, I am safe on the road, secure on the seas and alarm-free in the sky. I shall not perish on the road, suffer shipwreck or plane crash (Ps 1).

14 In righteousness I am established: Tyranny is far from me; I have nothing to fear. Terror is far removed; it will not come near me.

15 If anyone does attack me, it is not God’s doing; whoever attacks me will surrender to me.

16 I know it is the Lord who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is Him who has created the destroyer to work havoc;

17 no weapon forged against me prevail, and I hereby condemn every tongue that accuses me. This is my heritage as a servant of the LORD, and this is my God-declared vindication from God (Isa. 54: 14-17).

1 I don’t lift up my eyes except unto the Lord.

2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

3 He does not let my foot slip — He who watches over me does not slumber;

4 indeed, He who watches over me neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over me — the LORD is my shade at my right hand;

6 the sun will not harm me by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD keeps me from all harm — He watches over my life;

8 the LORD watches over my coming and going both now and for evermore (Ps 121).

1 Because I trust in the LORD, I am like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds me His own both now and for evermore.

3 The scepter of the wicked does not remain over the land allotted to me; I shall not use my hands to do evil.

4 I am good and upright in heart, and the Lord is good to me.

5 But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers; but peace shall be upon me (Ps 125).

1 I dwell in the shelter of the Most High and therefore rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely, He saves me from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He covers me with his feathers, and under his wings I find refuge; his faith- fulness is my shield and rampart.

5 I don’t fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.

6 Nor for the pestilence that walks in dark- ness; nor for the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at my side, ten thou- sand at my right hand, but it will not come near me.

8 I will only observe with my eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 Because I have made the Most High my dwelling — even the LORD, who is my refuge —

10 therefore, no harm befalls me, no disaster comes near my tent.

11 For God has commanded His angels concerning me to guard me in all my ways;

12 they lift me up in their hands, and I don’t strike my foot against a stone.

13 I tread upon the lion and the cobra; I trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because (Put your name) loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him/her; I will protect him/her, for he/she acknowledges my name.

15 He/she will call upon me, and I will answer him/her; I will be with him/her in trouble, I will deliver him/her and honor him/her.

16 With long life will I satisfy him/her and show him/her my salvation.” (Ps 91)

1 I love you, O LORD, you are my strength.

2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I trust and find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me and my stronghold.

3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am delivered from my enemies.

28 You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light…

29 With your help I can advance against troops; by my God I can scale walls.

30 As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is proven: He is a shield to me that trust in Him.

31 For who is God except the LORD? Or who is a rock except my God?

32 It is God that arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

33 He makes me as sure footed as a deer; He enables me to stand on the mountain heights.

34 He trains my hands to make war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand holds me up; you stoop down to make me great.

36 You broaden the path beneath me that my feet will not slip.

37 I pursue my enemies and overtake them; I don’t turn back till they were destroyed.

38 I crush them so that they cannot rise; they fall beneath my feet.

39 You have armed me with strength for battle; you made my enemies bow at my feet.

40 You placed my foot on the necks of my enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.

41 When they cry for help, there is no-one to save them — even to the LORD, but He will not answer.

42 I beat them as fine as dust in the wind; I sweep them out like dirt in the streets.

43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I don’t even know now serve me.

44 As soon as they hear of me, they obey me; foreigners submit themselves to me.

45 The foreigners lose heart, and are frightened out of their strongholds.

46 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

47 It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me

48 He delivers me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent opponents you rescued me.

49 Therefore will I give thanks unto you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing praises unto your name.