Psalms 109
1 To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. God of my praise, let my prayer be answered;
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. God whom I praise, do not be silent,
2 For the mouth of the sinner is open against me in deceit: his tongue has said false things against me.
For the wicked and deceitful attack me; they speak lies against me.
3 Words of hate are round about me; they have made war against me without cause.
They surround me and say hateful things, and they attack me without cause.
4 For my love they give me back hate; but I have given myself to prayer.
In return for my love they accuse me, but I pray for them.
5 They have put on me evil for good; hate in exchange for my love.
They repay me evil for good, and they hate my love.
6 Put an evil man over him; and let one be placed at his right hand to say evil of him.
Appoint a wicked man over such an enemy as these people; appoint an accuser to stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let the decision go against him; and may his prayer become sin.
When he is judged, may he be found guilty; may his prayer be considered sinful.
8 Let his life be short; let another take his position of authority.
May his days be few; may another take his office.
9 Let his children have no father, and his wife be made a widow.
May his children be fatherless, and may his wife be a widow.
10 Let his children be wanderers, looking to others for their food; let them be sent away from the company of their friends.
May his children wander about and beg, asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.
11 Let his creditor take all his goods; and let others have the profit of his work.
May the creditor take all he owns; may strangers plunder what he earns.
12 Let no man have pity on him, or give help to his children when he is dead.
May no one extend any kindness to him; may no one have pity on his fatherless children.
13 Let his seed be cut off; in the coming generation let their name go out of memory.
May his children be cut off; may their name be blotted out in the next generation.
14 Let the Lord keep in mind the wrongdoing of his fathers; and may the sin of his mother have no forgiveness.
May his ancestors' sins be mentioned to Yahweh; and may the sin of his mother not be forgotten.
15 Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth.
May their guilt always be before Yahweh; may Yahweh cut off their memory from the earth.
16 Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.
May Yahweh do this because this man never bothered to show any covenant faithfulness, but instead harassed the oppressed, the needy, and the disheartened to death.
17 As he took pleasure in cursing, so let it come on him; and as he had no delight in blessing, let it be far from him.
He loved cursing; may it come back upon him. He hated blessing; may no blessing come to him.
18 He put on cursing like a robe, and it has come into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
He clothed himself with cursing as his garment, and his curse came into his inner being like water, like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him as a robe which he puts on, let it be like a band which is round him at all times.
May his curses be to him like the clothes he wears to cover himself, like the belt he always wears.
20 Let this be the reward given to my haters from the Lord, and to those who say evil of my soul.
May this be the reward of my accusers from Yahweh, of those who say evil things about me.
21 But, O Lord God, give me your help, because of your name; take me out of danger, because your mercy is good.
Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake. Because your covenant faithfulness is good, save me.
22 For I am poor and in need, and my heart is wounded in me.
For I am oppressed and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am gone like the shade when it is stretched out: I am forced out of my place like a locust.
I am fading away like the shadow of the evening; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are feeble for need of food; there is no fat on my bones.
My knees are weak from fasting; I am turning to skin and bones.
25 As for me, they make sport of me; shaking their heads when they see me.
I am disdained by my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Give me help, O Lord my God; in your mercy be my saviour;
Help me, Yahweh my God; save me by your covenant faithfulness.
27 So that they may see that it is the work of your hand; that you, Lord, have done it.
May they know that this is your doing, that you, Yahweh, have done this.
28 They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.
Though they curse me, please bless me; when they attack, may they be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
29 Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe.
May my adversaries be clothed with shame; may they wear their shame like a robe.
30 I will give the Lord great praise with my mouth; yes, I will give praise to him among all the people.
With my mouth I give great thanks to Yahweh; I will praise him in the midst of a crowd.
31 For he is ever at the right hand of the poor, to take him out of the hands of those who go after his soul.
For he will stand at the right hand of the one who is needy, to save him from those who judge him.
