Psalms 109

1 To the chief Musician. Of David. A Psalm. O God of my praise, be not silent:

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. God of my praise, don’t remain silent,

2 For the mouth of the wicked [man] and the mouth of deceit are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue,

for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.

3 And with words of hatred have they encompassed me; and they fight against me without a cause.

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they are mine adversaries; but I [give myself unto] prayer.

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

5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 Set a wicked [man] over him, and let [the] adversary stand at his right hand;

Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

7 When he shall be judged, let him go out guilty, and let his prayer become sin;

When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin.

8 Let his days be few, let another take his office;

Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

9 Let his sons be fatherless, and his wife a widow;

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

10 Let his sons be vagabonds and beg, and let them seek [their bread] far from their desolate places;

Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.

11 Let the usurer cast the net over all that he hath, and let strangers despoil his labour;

Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labour.

12 Let there be none to extend kindness unto him, neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children;

Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.

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

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

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with Jehovah, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out;

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before Jehovah continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth:

Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

16 Because he remembered not to shew kindness, but persecuted the afflicted and needy man, and the broken in heart, to slay him.

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

17 And he loved cursing; so let it come unto him. And he delighted not in blessing; and let it be far from him.

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

18 And he clothed himself with cursing like his vestment; so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones;

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.

19 Let it be unto him as a garment with which he covereth himself, and for a girdle wherewith he is constantly girded.

Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from Jehovah, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my soul.

21 But do thou for me, Jehovah, Lord, for thy name's sake; because thy loving-kindness is good, deliver me:

But deal with me, GOD the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;

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

for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.

23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengtheneth; I am tossed about like the locust;

I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are failing through fasting, and my flesh hath lost its fatness;

My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

25 And I am become a reproach unto them; [when] they look upon me they shake their heads.

I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.

26 Help me, Jehovah my God; save me according to thy loving-kindness:

Help me, LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;

27 That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Jehovah, hast done it.

that they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it.

28 Let them curse, but bless thou; when they rise up, let them be ashamed, and let thy servant rejoice.

They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.

29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with confusion, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.

Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonour. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30 I will greatly celebrate Jehovah with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him amongst the multitude.

31 For he standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those that judge his soul.

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.