Psalms 109
1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, keep not silence;
For the music director. A psalm of David. God, the one I praise, please don't remain silent,
2 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.
because wicked and deceitful people are attacking me, telling lies about me.
3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
They surround me with words of hate, fighting against me for no reason.
4 In return for my love they are my adversaries; but I am all prayer.
I love them, but they respond with hostility towards me, even while I'm praying for them!
5 And they have laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love:
They pay me back with evil instead of good, with hatred instead of love.
6 'Set Thou a wicked man over him; and let an adversary stand at his right hand.
“Appoint someone wicked over him. Have someone stand as an accuser against him.
7 When he is judged, let him go forth condemned; and let his prayer be turned into sin.
When he is judged and sentenced, may he be found guilty. Let his prayers be counted as sins.
8 Let his days be few; let another take his charge.
May his life be short; let someone else take over his position.
9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
May his children be left fatherless, and his wife become a widow.
10 Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; and let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.
May his children be homeless, wandering beggars, driven from their ruined houses.
11 Let the creditor distrain all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour.
May creditors seize all that he owns; may strangers take all that he worked for.
12 Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; neither let there be any to be gracious unto his fatherless children.
May no one be kind to him; may no one take pity on his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off; in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
May his descendants die; may his family name be wiped out in the next generation.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be brought to remembrance unto the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
May the Lord be reminded of the sins of his fathers; may his mother's sins not be blotted out.
15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
May their sins be constantly before the Lord; may his name be totally forgotten by people.
16 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.
For he didn't think to be kind to others, instead he harassed and killed the poor, the needy, the brokenhearted.
17 Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it is far from him.
He loved to put a curse on others—let it come back on him. He had no time for blessings—so may he never receive any.
18 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.
He cursed as often as he got dressed. May his curses go into him like the water he drinks, like the olive oil he rubs on his skin that enters his bones.
19 Let it be unto him as the garment which he putteth on, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.'
May his curses stick to him like clothing, may they be pulled tight around him like a belt.”
20 This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD, and they that speak evil against my soul.
May all this be the punishment of the Lord on my enemies, on those who speak evil of me.
21 But Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou me.
But treat me well, Lord God, because of your own reputation. Save me because you are faithful and good.
22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is breaking.
23 I am gone like the shadow when it lengtheneth; I am shaken off as the locust.
I am fading away like an evening shadow; I am like a locust that is shaken off.
24 My knees totter through fasting; and my flesh is lean, and hath no fatness.
I am so weak from lack of food that my legs give way; my body is just skin and bones.
25 I am become also a taunt unto them; when they see me, they shake their head.
People ridicule me—they look at me and shake their heads!
26 Help me, O LORD my God; O save me according to Thy mercy;
Help me, Lord my God; save me because of your trustworthy love.
27 That they may know that this is Thy hand; that Thou, LORD, hast done it.
May they recognize that this is what you are doing—that you are the one who saves me.
28 Let them curse, but bless Thou; when they arise, they shall be put to shame, but Thy servant shall rejoice.
When they curse me, you will bless me. When they attack me, you will defeat them. And I, your servant, will be happy.
29 Mine adversaries shall be clothed with confusion, and shall put on their own shame as a robe.
May those who accuse me be clothed with disgrace; may they cover themselves with a cloak of shame.
30 I will give great thanks unto the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise Him among the multitude;
But I will keep on thanking the Lord, praising him to everyone around me.
31 Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.
For he takes a stand to defend the needy, to save them from those who condemn them.
