Psalms 109
1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David.
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O God whom I 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 their wicked mouths they have opened against me, they speak to me with tongues that are false,
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 beset me with words of hatred, and fight without cause against me.
4 Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer.
My love they requite with hostility, while for them I lift up my prayer.
5 And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love.
Evil for good they reward me, and hatred for my love.
6 Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.
‘Set over him one who is godless,’ they say, ‘an opponent at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin.
From his trial let him come forth guilty, may his prayer be counted as sin.
8 May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate.
Grant that his days may be few, that his office be seized by another.
9 May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow.
Grant that his children be fatherless, and that his wife be 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.
Up and down may his children go begging, expelled from their desolate home.
11 May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors.
May all that he owns be seized by the creditor may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
12 May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children.
‘May none extend to him kindness, or pity his fatherless children.
13 May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away.
His descendants be doomed to destruction! Blotted out be his name in one generation!
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.
May his father’s guilt be remembered, and his mother’s sin not blotted out:
15 May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth.
on record always before the Lord, and his memory root from the earth;
16 For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful.
for he gave no thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and the needy, drove the downhearted to death.
17 And so the destitute man was pursued, with the beggar and the remorseful in heart, so as to be put to death.
‘May the curses he loved light upon him, may the blessings he loathed be afar.
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.
Like a garment he clothed him with curses; may they pierce to his inwards like water, and cling to his bones like oil.
19 May it be to him like a garment that covers him, and like a belt that always cinches him.
Let them be like the robe he wraps round him, like the belt he wears every day.’
20 This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul.
Be this the reward of my adversaries, of those who speak evil against me.
21 But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet.
But you, Lord my God, be true to your name, deal kindly with me; in your gracious kindness save 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 a lengthening shadow, I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees have been weakened by fasting, and my flesh has been replaced by oil.
My knees totter from fasting, my flesh is shrivelled and spare.
25 And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads.
They heap insults upon me: 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, and save me in your kindness.
27 And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this.
Teach them that this is your hand, and your own doing, O Lord.
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, if only you bless. Put my assailants to shame, and make your servant glad.
29 May those who detract me be clothed with shame, and may they be covered with their confusion, as if with a double cloak.
My opponents be clothed with dishonour, and wrapped in a robe of shame.
30 I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude.
I give thanks to you, Lord, with loud voice, I give praise in the midst of the throng;
31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors.
for he stands by the poor, at his right hand, to save them from those who condemn them.
