Psalms 109

1 “To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O God of my praise, do not keep silence.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit are opened against me: they have spoken with me with the tongue of falsehood.

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.

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

They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

4 In recompense for my love are they my accusers, while I have nothing but prayer.

For my love they are my adversaries: but I [give myself unto] prayer.

5 And they impose evil on me in recompense for good, and hatred in lieu of my love.

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

6 Appoint thou a wicked man over him: and let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Set thou a wicked man over him: and let an adversary stand at his right hand.

7 When he is to be judged, let him go forth guilty, and let his prayer become sin.

When he is judged, let him come forth guilty; and let his prayer be turned into sin.

8 Let his days be few, and let another take his office.

Let his days be few; [and] let another take his office.

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

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

10 Let his children be continually moving about, and beg, and let them seek [their bread] out of their ruined places.

Let his children be vagabonds, and beg; and let them seek [their bread] out of their desolate places.

11 Let the creditor lay snares after all that he hath, and let strangers plunder his labor.

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour.

12 Let him have none that extendeth kindness, and let there be none that is gracious to his fatherless children.

Let there be none to extend mercy unto him; neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.

13 Let his posterity be cut off: in another generation 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 by the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off from the earth their memory.

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

16 For the reason that he remembered not to show kindness; but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the grieved in heart to put him to death.

Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart, to slay [them].

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come over him: and as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

18 And he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it cometh like water within him, and like oil into his bones.

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it came into his inward parts like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be unto him as the raiment

19 Let it be unto him as a garment in which he wrappeth himself, and for a girdle let him be continually girded with it.

wherewith he covereth himself, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, and of those that speak evil against my soul.

This is the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21 But thou, O Eternal Lord, deal with me for the sake of thy name: because thy kindness is good, deliver thou me.

But deal thou with me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me,

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

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

23 Like the shadow when it declineth do I hasten away: I am driven suddenly off like the locusts.

I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

24 My knees stumble through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness.

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.

25 And I am become a reproach unto them: when they see me, they shake their head.

I am become also a reproach unto them: when they see me, they shake their head.

26 Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy kindness:

Help me, O LORD my God; O save me according to thy mercy:

27 That they may know that this is thy hand: that thou, Lord, hast truly done it.

That they may know that this is thy hand; [that] thou, LORD, hast done it.

28 Let them then curse, but do thou bless: when they arise, let them be made ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, they shall be ashamed, but thy servant shall rejoice.

29 Let my accusers be clothed with confusion, and let them wrap themselves, as with a mantle, in their own shame.

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

30 I will thank the Lord greatly with my mouth, and in the midst of many will I praise him.

I will give great thanks unto the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

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

For he shall stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.