Psalms 109

1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David.

For the end, a Psalm of David. For the end, a Psalm of David. O God, pass not over my praise in 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 sinner and the mouth of the crafty [man] have been opened against me: they have spoken against me with a crafty 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.

And they have compassed me 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.

Instead of loving me, they falsely accused me: but I continued to pray.

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

And they rewarded 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 you a sinner against him; and let the devil 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 become sin.

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

Let his days be few: and let another take his office of overseer.

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

Let his children be orphans, 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 wander without a dwelling-place, and beg: let them be cast out of their habitations.

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

Let [his] creditor exact all that belongs to him: and let strangers spoil his labors.

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

Let him have no helper; neither let there be any one to have compassion on his fatherless children.

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

Let his children be [given up] to utter destruction: in one generation let his 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 remembered before 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; and let their memorial be blotted out from the earth.

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

Because he remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the needy and poor man, and [that] to kill him that was pricked in the heart.

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

He loved cursing also, and it shall come upon him; and he took not pleasure in blessing, so it shall be removed 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.

Yes, he put on cursing as a garment, and it is come as water into his bowels, and as 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 to him as a garment which he puts on, and as a girdle with which he girds himself continually.

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

This is the dealing of the Lord with those who falsely accuse me, and of them 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 you, O Lord, Lord, deal [mercifully] with me, for your name's sake: for your mercy is good.

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

Deliver me, for I am poor and needy; and my heart is troubled within me.

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

I am removed as a shadow in its going down: I am tossed up and down like locusts.

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

My knees are weakened through fasting, and my flesh is changed by reason of [the lack of] oil.

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

I became also a reproach to them: [when] they saw me they shook their heads.

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

Help me, O Lord my God; and save me according to your mercy.

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

And let them know that this is your hand; and [that] you, Lord, have wrought 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 you shall bless: let them that rise up against me be ashamed, but let your servant 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.

Let those that falsely accuse me be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.

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 thanks to the Lord abundantly with my mouth; and in the midst of many I will praise him.

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

For he stood on the right hand of the poor, to save [me] from them that persecute my soul.