Psalms 109
1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent.
For the music director. A psalm of David. God, the one I praise, please don't remain silent,
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
because wicked and deceitful people are attacking me, telling lies about me.
3 They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
They surround me with words of hate, fighting against me for no reason.
4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
I love them, but they respond with hostility towards me, even while I'm praying for them!
5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
They pay me back with evil instead of good, with hatred instead of love.
6 Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
“Appoint someone wicked over him. Have someone stand as an accuser against him.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.
When he is judged and sentenced, may he be found guilty. Let his prayers be counted as sins.
8 May his days be few; may another take his position.
May his life be short; let someone else take over his position.
9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
May his children be left fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
10 May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
May his children be homeless, wandering beggars, driven from their ruined houses.
11 May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
May creditors seize all that he owns; may strangers take all that he worked for.
12 May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.
May no one be kind to him; may no one take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
May his descendants die; may his family name be wiped out in the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
May the Lord be reminded of the sins of his fathers; may his mother's sins not be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.
May their sins be constantly before the Lord; may his name be totally forgotten by people.
16 For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
For he didn't think to be kind to others, instead he harassed and killed the poor, the needy, the brokenhearted.
17 The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
He loved to put a curse on others—let it come back on him. He had no time for blessings—so may he never receive any.
18 The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
He cursed as often as he got dressed. May his curses go into him like the water he drinks, like the olive oil he rubs on his skin that enters his bones.
19 May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
May his curses stick to him like clothing, may they be pulled tight around him like a belt.”
20 May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.
May all this be the punishment of the Lord on my enemies, on those who speak evil of me.
21 But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
But treat me well, Lord God, because of your own reputation. Save me because you are faithful and good.
22 For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is breaking.
23 I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
I am fading away like an evening shadow; I am like a locust that is shaken off.
24 My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.
I am so weak from lack of food that my legs give way; my body is just skin and bones.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
People ridicule me—they look at me and shake their heads!
26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.
Help me, Lord my God; save me because of your trustworthy love.
27 Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.
May they recognize that this is what you are doing—that you are the one who saves me.
28 Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
When they curse me, you will bless me. When they attack me, you will defeat them. And I, your servant, will be happy.
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
May those who accuse me be clothed with disgrace; may they cover themselves with a cloak of shame.
30 With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.
But I will keep on thanking the Lord, praising him to everyone around me.
31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
For he takes a stand to defend the needy, to save them from those who condemn them.
