Psalms 109

1 For the Leader. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, keep not silence;

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

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me; they have spoken unto 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 compassed me about also 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 all prayer.

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

5 And they have laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love:

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

6 'Set Thou a wicked man over him; and 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 go forth condemned; and 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 charge.

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 vagabonds, and beg; and let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.

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

11 Let the creditor distrain all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour.

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

12 Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; neither let there be any to be gracious unto 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 brought to remembrance unto the LORD; and let not 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 the memory of them from the earth.

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

16 Because that he remembered not to do kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart he was ready to slay.

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

17 Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it is 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 raiment, and it is come into his inward parts like water, and 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 unto him as the garment which he putteth on, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.'

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

20 This would mine adversaries effect from the LORD, and they that 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 Thou, O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Thy name's sake; because Thy mercy is good, deliver Thou 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, and my heart is wounded within me.

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

23 I am gone like the shadow when it lengtheneth; I am shaken off as the locust.

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

24 My knees totter through fasting; and my flesh is lean, and hath no fatness.

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

25 I am become also a taunt unto 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, O LORD my God; O save me according to Thy mercy;

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

27 That they may know that this is Thy hand; that Thou, LORD, hast done it.

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

28 Let them curse, but bless Thou; when they arise, they shall be put to shame, but Thy 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 Mine adversaries shall be clothed with confusion, and shall put on their own shame as 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 unto the LORD with my mouth; yea, 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 Because He standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from them that judge his soul.

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