Psalms 109

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 “Set over him one who is godless,” they say, “an opponent at his right hand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off 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 had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.