Psalms 109

1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. God of my praise, don’t remain silent,

2 O God, do not be silent toward my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one have been opened against me.

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.

3 They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues, and they have surrounded me with hateful words, and they fought against me over nothing.

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

4 Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer.

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

5 And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love.

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

6 Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.

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

7 When he is judged, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin.

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

8 May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate.

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

9 May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow.

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

10 May his sons be carried by those who walk unsteadily, and may they go begging. And may they be cast out of their dwelling places.

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

11 May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors.

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

12 May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children.

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

13 May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away.

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

14 May the iniquity of his fathers return in memory before the sight of the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped away.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth.

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

16 For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful.

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

17 And so the destitute man was pursued, with the beggar and the remorseful in heart, so as to be put to death.

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

18 And he loved a curse, and it came to him. And he was unwilling to have a blessing, and it went far from him. And he clothed himself with curses like a garment, and it entered his inner self like water, and it entered his bones like oil.

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

19 May it be to him like a garment that covers him, and like a belt that always cinches him.

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

20 This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul.

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

21 But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet.

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

22 Free me, for I am destitute and poor, and my heart has been disquieted within me.

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

23 I have been taken away like a shadow when it declines, and I have been shaken off like locusts.

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

24 My knees have been weakened by fasting, and my flesh has been replaced by oil.

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

25 And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads.

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

26 Help me, O Lord, my God. Save me according to your mercy.

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

27 And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this.

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

28 They will curse, and you will bless. May those who rise up against me be confounded. But your servant will rejoice.

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

29 May those who detract me be clothed with shame, and may they be covered with their confusion, as if with a double cloak.

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

30 I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude.

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

31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors.

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