Psalms 109
1 For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O God whom I praise, keep not silence;
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O God of my praise! be not silent!
2 for their wicked mouths they have opened against me, they speak to me with tongues that are false,
For the mouths of the wicked and the deceitful are opened against me; They speak against me with a lying tongue.
3 they beset me with words of hatred, and fight without cause against me.
They assault me on every side with words of hatred; They fight against me without a cause.
4 My love they requite with hostility, while for them I lift up my prayer.
For my love they are my adversaries: But I give myself unto prayer.
5 Evil for good they reward me, and hatred for my love.
They repay me evil for good, And hatred for love.
6 ‘Set over him one who is godless,’ they say, ‘an opponent at his right hand.
Set thou a wicked man over him, And let an adversary stand at his right hand!
7 From his trial let him come forth guilty, may his prayer be counted as sin.
When he is judged, may he be condemned, And may his prayer be a crime!
8 Grant that his days may be few, that his office be seized by another.
May his days be few, And another take his office!
9 Grant that his children be fatherless, and that his wife be a widow.
May his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow!
10 Up and down may his children go begging, expelled from their desolate home.
May his children be vagabonds and beggars, And from their ruined dwellings seek their bread!
11 May all that he owns be seized by the creditor may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
May a creditor seize on all that he hath, And a stranger plunder his substance!
12 ‘May none extend to him kindness, or pity his fatherless children.
May there be none to show him compassion, And none to pity his fatherless children!
13 His descendants be doomed to destruction! Blotted out be his name in one generation!
May his posterity be cut off; In the next generation may his name be blotted out!
14 May his father’s guilt be remembered, and his mother’s sin not blotted out:
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD, And may the sin of his mother never be blotted out!
15 on record always before the Lord, and his memory root from the earth;
May they be before the LORD continually; And may he cut off their memory from the earth!
16 for he gave no thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and the needy, drove the downhearted to death.
Because he remembered not to show pity, But persecuted the afflicted and the poor man, And sought the death of the broken-hearted.
17 ‘May the curses he loved light upon him, may the blessings he loathed be afar.
As he loved cursing, let it come upon him; As he delighted not in blessing, let it be far from him!
18 Like a garment he clothed him with curses; may they pierce to his inwards like water, and cling to his bones like oil.
May he be clothed with cursing as with a garment; May it enter like water into his bowels, And like oil into his bones!
19 Let them be like the robe he wraps round him, like the belt he wears every day.’
May it be to him like the robe that covereth him, Like the girdle with which he is constantly girded!
20 Be this the reward of my adversaries, of those who speak evil against me.
May this be the wages of mine adversaries from the LORD, And of them that speak evil against me!
21 But you, Lord my God, be true to your name, deal kindly with me; in your gracious kindness save me.
But do thou, O LORD, my God! take part with me, For thine own name's sake! Because great is thy mercy, O deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
For I am afflicted and needy, And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am gone like a lengthening shadow, I am shaken off like a locust.
I am going like a shadow; I am driven away as the locust.
24 My knees totter from fasting, my flesh is shrivelled and spare.
My knees totter from fasting, And my flesh faileth of fatness.
25 They heap insults upon me: when they see me, they shake their head.
I am a reproach to my enemies; They gaze at me; they shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God, and save me in your kindness.
Help me, O LORD, my God! O save me, according to thy mercy!
27 Teach them that this is your hand, and your own doing, O Lord.
That they may know that this is thy hand; That thou, O Lord! hast done it!
28 Let them curse, if only you bless. Put my assailants to shame, and make your servant glad.
Let them curse, but do thou bless! When they arise, let them be put to shame; But let thy servant rejoice!
29 My opponents be clothed with dishonour, and wrapped in a robe of shame.
May my enemies be clothed with ignominy; May they be covered with their shame, as with a mantle!
30 I give thanks to you, Lord, with loud voice, I give praise in the midst of the throng;
I will earnestly praise the LORD with my lips; In the midst of the multitude I will praise him.
31 for he stands by the poor, at his right hand, to save them from those who condemn them.
For he standeth at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who would condemn him.
