Psalms 109

1 To the Overseer. — A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,

For the end, a Psalm of David. For the end, a Psalm of David. O God, pass not over my praise in silence;

2 For the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, Against me they have opened, They have spoken with me — A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!

for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the crafty [man] have been opened against me: they have spoken against me with a crafty tongue.

3 They have compassed me about, And they fight me without cause.

And they have compassed me with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they oppose me, and I — prayer!

Instead of loving me, they falsely accused me: but I continued to pray.

5 And they set against me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

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

6 Appoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.

Set thou a sinner against him; and let the devil stand at his right hand.

7 In his being judged, he goeth forth wicked, And his prayer is for sin.

When he is judged, let him go forth condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8 His days are few, his oversight another taketh,

Let his days be few: and let another take his office of overseer.

9 His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.

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

10 And wander continually do his sons, Yea, they have begged, And have sought out of their dry places.

Let his children wander without a dwelling-place, and beg: let them be cast out of their habitations.

11 An exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.

Let [his] creditor exact all that belongs to him: and let strangers spoil his labours.

12 He hath none to extend kindness, Nor is there one showing favour to his orphans.

Let him have no helper; neither let there be any one to have compassion on his fatherless children.

13 His posterity is for cutting off, In another generation is their name blotted out.

Let his children be [given up] to utter destruction: in one generation let his name be blotted out.

14 The iniquity of his fathers Is remembered unto Jehovah, And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.

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

15 They are before Jehovah continually, And He cutteth off from earth their memorial.

Let them be before the Lord continually; and let their memorial be blotted out from the earth.

16 Because that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart — to slay,

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

17 And he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.

He loved cursing also, and it shall come upon him; and he took not pleasure in blessing, so it shall be removed far from him.

18 And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

Yea, he put on cursing as a garment, and it is come as water into his bowels, and as oil into his bones.

19 It is to him as apparel — he covereth himself, And for a continual girdle he girdeth it on.

Let it be to him as a garment which he puts on, and as a girdle with which he girds himself continually.

20 This [is] the wage of mine accusers from Jehovah, And of those speaking evil against my soul.

This is the dealing of the Lord with those who falsely accuse me, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21 And Thou, O Jehovah Lord, Deal with me for Thy name's sake, Because Thy kindness [is] good, deliver me.

But thou, O Lord, Lord, deal [mercifully] with me, for thy name's sake: for thy mercy is good.

22 For I [am] poor and needy, And my heart hath been pierced in my midst.

Deliver me, for I am poor and needy; and my heart is troubled within me.

23 As a shadow when it is stretched out I have gone, I have been driven away as a locust.

I am removed as a shadow in its going down: I am tossed up and down like locusts.

24 My knees have been feeble from fasting, And my flesh hath failed of fatness.

My knees are weakened through fasting, and my flesh is changed by reason of [the want of] oil.

25 And I — I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.

I became also a reproach to them: [when] they saw me they shook their heads.

26 Help me, O Jehovah my God, Save me, according to Thy kindness.

Help me, O Lord my God; and save me according to thy mercy.

27 And they know that this [is] Thy hand, Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast done it.

And let them know that this is thy hand; and [that] thou, Lord, hast wrought it.

28 They revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.

Let them curse, but thou shalt bless: let them that rise up against me be ashamed, but let thy servant rejoice.

29 Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe [is] their shame.

Let those that falsely accuse me be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.

30 I thank Jehovah greatly with my mouth, And in the midst of many I praise Him,

I will give thanks to the Lord abundantly with my mouth; and in the midst of many I will praise him.

31 For He standeth at the right hand of the needy, To save from those judging his soul.

For he stood on the right hand of the poor, to save [me] from them that persecute my soul.