Psalms 109
1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. God whom I praise, do not be silent,
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent.
2 For the wicked and deceitful attack me; they speak lies against me.
For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
3 They surround me and say hateful things, and they attack me without cause.
They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I pray for them.
In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good, and they hate my love.
They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man over such an enemy as these people; appoint an accuser to stand at his right hand.
Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, may he be found guilty; may his prayer be considered sinful.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.
8 May his days be few; may another take his office.
May his days be few; may another take his position.
9 May his children be fatherless, and may his wife be a widow.
May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
10 May his children wander about and beg, asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.
May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
11 May the creditor take all he owns; may strangers plunder what he earns.
May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend any kindness to him; may no one have pity on his fatherless children.
May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.
13 May his children be cut off; may their name be blotted out in the next generation.
May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
14 May his ancestors' sins be mentioned to Yahweh; and may the sin of his mother not be forgotten.
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their guilt always be before Yahweh; may Yahweh cut off their memory from the earth.
May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.
16 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.
For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
17 He loved cursing; may it come back upon him. He hated blessing; may no blessing come to him.
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his garment, and his curse came into his inner being like water, like oil into his bones.
The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
19 May his curses be to him like the clothes he wears to cover himself, like the belt he always wears.
May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from Yahweh, of those who say evil things about me.
May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.
21 Yahweh my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake. Because your covenant faithfulness is good, save me.
But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
22 For I am oppressed and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am fading away like the shadow of the evening; I am shaken off like a locust.
I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting; I am turning to skin and bones.
My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.
25 I am disdained by my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, Yahweh my God; save me by your covenant faithfulness.
Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.
27 May they know that this is your doing, that you, Yahweh, have done this.
Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.
28 Though they curse me, please bless me; when they attack, may they be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
29 May my adversaries be clothed with shame; may they wear their shame like a robe.
May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
30 With my mouth I give great thanks to Yahweh; I will praise him in the midst of a crowd.
With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.
31 For he will stand at the right hand of the one who is needy, to save him from those who judge him.
For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
