1 God, please listen to my complaint.[a] Protect me because my enemies scare me.

2 Shelter me from the plots of the wicked, from this evil mob.

3 What they say cuts like swords; they fire off poisonous words like arrows.

4 They shoot from their hiding places at innocent people—doing this without warning, not afraid of being caught.

5 They encourage one another to do evil, planning how to secretly trap people, telling themselves, “Nobody will notice.”

6 They plot wicked things. “What a great plan we've created!” they say. There are no limits to the depths to which human minds and thoughts can sink.

7 But God will shoot them with arrows; all of a sudden they will be wounded.

8 What they themselves say will trip them up; people who see them will mock them, shaking their heads at them.

9 Then everyone will be frightened. They will say that this is the work of God, and they will think about what he has done.[b]

10 Those who are right with the Lord will be happy in him, they will go to him for protection. Those who live right will praise him.