Psalms 109

1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David.

For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, keep not silence;

2 O God, do not be silent toward my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one have been opened against me.

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me; they have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.

3 They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues, and they have surrounded me with hateful words, and they fought against me over nothing.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

4 Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer.

In return for my love they are my adversaries; but I am all prayer.

5 And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love.

And they have laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love:

6 Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.

'Set Thou a wicked man over him; and let an adversary stand at his right hand.

7 When he is judged, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin.

When he is judged, let him go forth condemned; and let his prayer be turned into sin.

8 May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate.

Let his days be few; let another take his charge.

9 May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10 May his sons be carried by those who walk unsteadily, and may they go begging. And may they be cast out of their dwelling places.

Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; and let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.

11 May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors.

Let the creditor distrain all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour.

12 May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children.

Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; neither let there be any to be gracious unto his fatherless children.

13 May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away.

Let his posterity be cut off; in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 May the iniquity of his fathers return in memory before the sight of the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped away.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be brought to remembrance unto the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth.

Let them be before the LORD continually, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful.

Because that he remembered not to do kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart he was ready to slay.

17 And so the destitute man was pursued, with the beggar and the remorseful in heart, so as to be put to death.

Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it is far from him.

18 And he loved a curse, and it came to him. And he was unwilling to have a blessing, and it went far from him. And he clothed himself with curses like a garment, and it entered his inner self like water, and it entered his bones like oil.

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his raiment, and it is come into his inward parts like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 May it be to him like a garment that covers him, and like a belt that always cinches him.

Let it be unto him as the garment which he putteth on, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.'

20 This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul.

This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD, and they that speak evil against my soul.

21 But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet.

But Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou me.

22 Free me, for I am destitute and poor, and my heart has been disquieted within me.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23 I have been taken away like a shadow when it declines, and I have been shaken off like locusts.

I am gone like the shadow when it lengtheneth; I am shaken off as the locust.

24 My knees have been weakened by fasting, and my flesh has been replaced by oil.

My knees totter through fasting; and my flesh is lean, and hath no fatness.

25 And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads.

I am become also a taunt unto them; when they see me, they shake their head.

26 Help me, O Lord, my God. Save me according to your mercy.

Help me, O LORD my God; O save me according to Thy mercy;

27 And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this.

That they may know that this is Thy hand; that Thou, LORD, hast done it.

28 They will curse, and you will bless. May those who rise up against me be confounded. But your servant will rejoice.

Let them curse, but bless Thou; when they arise, they shall be put to shame, but Thy servant shall rejoice.

29 May those who detract me be clothed with shame, and may they be covered with their confusion, as if with a double cloak.

Mine adversaries shall be clothed with confusion, and shall put on their own shame as a robe.

30 I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude.

I will give great thanks unto the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise Him among the multitude;

31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors.

Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.