Psalms 109

1 To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm. God of my praise, let my prayer be answered;

For the leader. Of David, a psalm. O God whom I praise, keep not silence;

2 For the mouth of the sinner is open against me in deceit: his tongue has said false things against me.

for their wicked mouths they have opened against me, they speak to me with tongues that are false,

3 Words of hate are round about me; they have made war against me without cause.

they beset me with words of hatred, and fight without cause against me.

4 For my love they give me back hate; but I have given myself to prayer.

My love they requite with hostility, while for them I lift up my prayer.

5 They have put on me evil for good; hate in exchange for my love.

Evil for good they reward me, and hatred for my love.

6 Put an evil man over him; and let one be placed at his right hand to say evil of him.

‘Set over him one who is godless,’ they say, ‘an opponent at his right hand.

7 When he is judged, let the decision go against him; and may his prayer become sin.

From his trial let him come forth guilty, may his prayer be counted as sin.

8 Let his life be short; let another take his position of authority.

Grant that his days may be few, that his office be seized by another.

9 Let his children have no father, and his wife be made a widow.

Grant that his children be fatherless, and that his wife be a widow.

10 Let his children be wanderers, looking to others for their food; let them be sent away from the company of their friends.

Up and down may his children go begging, expelled from their desolate home.

11 Let his creditor take all his goods; and let others have the profit of his work.

May all that he owns be seized by the creditor may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.

12 Let no man have pity on him, or give help to his children when he is dead.

‘May none extend to him kindness, or pity his fatherless children.

13 Let his seed be cut off; in the coming generation let their name go out of memory.

His descendants be doomed to destruction! Blotted out be his name in one generation!

14 Let the Lord keep in mind the wrongdoing of his fathers; and may the sin of his mother have no forgiveness.

May his father’s guilt be remembered, and his mother’s sin not blotted out:

15 Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth.

on record always before the Lord, and his memory root from the earth;

16 Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.

for he gave no thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and the needy, drove the downhearted to death.

17 As he took pleasure in cursing, so let it come on him; and as he had no delight in blessing, let it be far from him.

‘May the curses he loved light upon him, may the blessings he loathed be afar.

18 He put on cursing like a robe, and it has come into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

Like a garment he clothed him with curses; may they pierce to his inwards like water, and cling to his bones like oil.

19 Let it be to him as a robe which he puts on, let it be like a band which is round him at all times.

Let them be like the robe he wraps round him, like the belt he wears every day.’

20 Let this be the reward given to my haters from the Lord, and to those who say evil of my soul.

Be this the reward of my adversaries, of those who speak evil against me.

21 But, O Lord God, give me your help, because of your name; take me out of danger, because your mercy is good.

But you, Lord my God, be true to your name, deal kindly with me; in your gracious kindness save me.

22 For I am poor and in need, and my heart is wounded in me.

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

23 I am gone like the shade when it is stretched out: I am forced out of my place like a locust.

I am gone like a lengthening shadow, I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are feeble for need of food; there is no fat on my bones.

My knees totter from fasting, my flesh is shrivelled and spare.

25 As for me, they make sport of me; shaking their heads when they see me.

They heap insults upon me: when they see me, they shake their head.

26 Give me help, O Lord my God; in your mercy be my saviour;

Help me, O Lord my God, and save me in your kindness.

27 So that they may see that it is the work of your hand; that you, Lord, have done it.

Teach them that this is your hand, and your own doing, O Lord.

28 They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.

Let them curse, if only you bless. Put my assailants to shame, and make your servant glad.

29 Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe.

My opponents be clothed with dishonour, and wrapped in a robe of shame.

30 I will give the Lord great praise with my mouth; yes, I will give praise to him among all the people.

I give thanks to you, Lord, with loud voice, I give praise in the midst of the throng;

31 For he is ever at the right hand of the poor, to take him out of the hands of those who go after his soul.

for he stands by the poor, at his right hand, to save them from those who condemn them.