Psalms 109

1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. God of my praise, do not remain silent,

“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” O God of my praise! be not silent!

2 for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.

For the mouths of the wicked and the deceitful are opened against me; They speak against me with a lying tongue.

3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

They assault me on every side with words of hatred; They fight against me without a cause.

4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.

For my love they are my adversaries: But I give myself unto prayer.

5 They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

They repay me evil for good, And hatred for love.

6 Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

Set thou a wicked man over him, And let an adversary stand at his right hand!

7 When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin.

When he is judged, may he be condemned, And may his prayer be a crime!

8 Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

May his days be few, And another take his office!

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

May his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow!

10 Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.

May his children be vagabonds and beggars, And from their ruined dwellings seek their bread!

11 Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

May a creditor seize on all that he hath, And a stranger plunder his substance!

12 Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.

May there be none to show him compassion, And none to pity his fatherless children!

13 Let his posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out.

May his posterity be cut off; In the next generation may his name be blotted out!

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD. Do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD, And may the sin of his mother never be blotted out!

15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

May they be before the LORD continually; And may he cut off their memory from the earth!

16 because he did not remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

Because he remembered not to show pity, But persecuted the afflicted and the poor man, And sought the death of the broken-hearted.

17 Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He did not delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

As he loved cursing, let it come upon him; As he delighted not in blessing, let it be far from him!

18 He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.

May he be clothed with cursing as with a garment; May it enter like water into his bowels, And like oil into his bones!

19 Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him.

May it be to him like the robe that covereth him, Like the girdle with which he is constantly girded!

20 This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my soul.

May this be the wages of mine adversaries from the LORD, And of them that speak evil against me!

21 But deal with me, GOD the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;

But do thou, O LORD, my God! take part with me, For thine own name's sake! Because great is thy mercy, O deliver me!

22 for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.

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

23 I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

I am going like a shadow; I am driven away as the locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

My knees totter from fasting, And my flesh faileth of fatness.

25 I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.

I am a reproach to my enemies; They gaze at me; they shake their heads.

26 Help me, LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;

Help me, O LORD, my God! O save me, according to thy mercy!

27 that they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it.

That they may know that this is thy hand; That thou, O Lord! hast done it!

28 They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.

Let them curse, but do thou bless! When they arise, let them be put to shame; But let thy servant rejoice!

29 Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

May my enemies be clothed with ignominy; May they be covered with their shame, as with a mantle!

30 I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.

I will earnestly praise the LORD with my lips; In the midst of the multitude I will praise him.

31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

For he standeth at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who would condemn him.