Psalms 109
1 For the chief musician. A psalm of David. God whom I praise, do not be silent,
For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O God whom I praise, keep not silence;
2 For the wicked and deceitful attack me; they speak lies against me.
for their wicked mouths they have opened against me, they speak to me with tongues that are false,
3 They surround me and say hateful things, and they attack me without cause.
they beset me with words of hatred, and fight without cause against me.
4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I pray for them.
My love they requite with hostility, while for them I lift up my prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good, and they hate my love.
Evil for good they reward me, 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 one who is godless,” they say, “an opponent at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, may he be found guilty; may his prayer be considered sinful.
From his trial let him come forth guilty, may his prayer be counted as sin.
8 May his days be few; may another take his office.
Grant that his days may be few, that his office be seized by another.
9 May his children be fatherless, and may his wife be a widow.
Grant that his children be fatherless, and that his wife be a widow.
10 May his children wander about and beg, asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home.
Up and down may his children go begging, expelled from their desolate home.
11 May the creditor take all he owns; may strangers plunder what he earns.
May all that he owns be seized by the creditor may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
12 May no one extend any kindness to him; may no one have pity on his fatherless children.
“May none extend to him kindness, or pity his fatherless children.
13 May his children be cut off; may their name be blotted out in the next generation.
His descendants be doomed to destruction! Blotted out be his name in one generation!
14 May his ancestors' sins be mentioned to Yahweh; and may the sin of his mother not be forgotten.
May his father’s guilt be remembered, and his mother’s sin not blotted out:
15 May their guilt always be before Yahweh; may Yahweh cut off their memory from the earth.
on record always before the Lord, and his memory root 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 gave no thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and the needy, drove the downhearted to death.
17 He loved cursing; may it come back upon him. He hated blessing; may no blessing come to him.
“May the curses he loved light upon him, may the blessings he loathed be afar.
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his garment, and his curse came into his inner being like water, like oil into his bones.
Like a garment he clothed him with curses; may they pierce to his inwards like water, and cling to 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.
Let them be like the robe he wraps round him, like the belt he wears every day.”
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from Yahweh, of those who say evil things about me.
Be this the reward of my adversaries, of 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, Lord my God, be true to your name, deal kindly with me; in your gracious kindness save me.
22 For I am oppressed and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
For I am poor and needy, and 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 gone 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 totter from fasting, my flesh is shrivelled and spare.
25 I am disdained by my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
They heap insults upon me: when they see me, they shake their head.
26 Help me, Yahweh my God; save me by your covenant faithfulness.
Help me, O Lord my God, and save me in your kindness.
27 May they know that this is your doing, that you, Yahweh, have done this.
Teach them that this is your hand, and your own doing, O Lord.
28 Though they curse me, please bless me; when they attack, may they be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
Let them curse, if only you bless. Put my assailants to shame, and make your servant glad.
29 May my adversaries be clothed with shame; may they wear their shame like a robe.
My opponents be clothed with dishonor, and wrapped in a robe of shame.
30 With my mouth I give great thanks to Yahweh; I will praise him in the midst of a crowd.
I give thanks to you, Lord, with loud voice, I give praise in the midst of the throng;
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 by the poor, at his right hand, to save them from those who condemn them.
