Psalms 109
1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David.
For the chief musician. A psalm of David. God whom I praise, do not be silent,
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 wicked and deceitful attack me; they speak lies against me.
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 surround me and say hateful things, and they attack me without 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 accuse me, but I pray for them.
5 And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love.
They repay me evil for good, and they hate my love.
6 Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.
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, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin.
When he is judged, may he be found guilty; may his prayer be considered sinful.
8 May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate.
May his days be few; may another take his office.
9 May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow.
May his children be fatherless, and may 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.
May his children wander about and beg, asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.
11 May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors.
May the creditor take all he owns; may strangers plunder what he earns.
12 May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children.
May no one extend any kindness to him; may no one have pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away.
May his children be cut off; may their name be blotted out in the next 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 ancestors' sins be mentioned to Yahweh; and may the sin of his mother not be forgotten.
15 May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth.
May their guilt always be before Yahweh; may Yahweh cut off their memory from the earth.
16 For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful.
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 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; may it come back upon him. He hated blessing; may no blessing come to 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 with cursing as his garment, and his curse came into his inner being like water, 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.
May his curses be to him like the clothes he wears to cover himself, like the belt he always wears.
20 This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul.
May this be the reward of my accusers from Yahweh, of those who say evil things about me.
21 But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet.
Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake. Because your covenant faithfulness is good, save me.
22 Free me, for I am destitute and poor, and my heart has been disquieted within me.
For I am oppressed 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 fading away like the shadow of the evening; 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 are weak from fasting; I am turning to skin and bones.
25 And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads.
I am disdained by my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord, my God. Save me according to your mercy.
Help me, Yahweh my God; save me by your covenant faithfulness.
27 And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this.
May they know that this is your doing, that you, Yahweh, have done this.
28 They will curse, and you will bless. May those who rise up against me be confounded. But your servant will rejoice.
Though they curse me, please bless me; when they attack, may they be put to shame, but may 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.
May my adversaries be clothed with shame; may they wear their shame like a robe.
30 I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude.
With my mouth I give great thanks to Yahweh; I will praise him in the midst of a crowd.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors.
For he will stand at the right hand of the one who is needy, to save him from those who judge him.
