Psalms 109

1 “To the chief musician, by David, a psalm.” O God of my praise, do not keep silence.

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

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit are opened against me: they have spoken with me with the tongue of falsehood.

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 Also with words of hatred have they encompassed me, and they fight against me without a cause.

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

4 In recompense for my love are they my accusers, while I have nothing but prayer.

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

5 And they impose evil on me in recompense for good, and hatred in lieu of my love.

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

6 Appoint thou a wicked man over him: and let an accuser stand at his right hand.

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

7 When he is to be judged, let him go forth guilty, and let his prayer become sin.

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

8 Let his days be few, and let another take his office.

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

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

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

10 Let his children be continually moving about, and beg, and let them seek [their bread] out of their ruined places.

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

11 Let the creditor lay snares after all that he hath, and let strangers plunder his labor.

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

12 Let him have none that extendeth kindness, and let there be none that is gracious to his fatherless children.

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

13 Let his posterity be cut off: in another generation let their name be blotted out.

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

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out.

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

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

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

16 For the reason that he remembered not to show kindness; but persecuted the poor and needy man, and the grieved in heart to put him to death.

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

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come over him: and as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

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

18 And he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it cometh like water within him, and like oil into his bones.

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

19 Let it be unto him as a garment in which he wrappeth himself, and for a girdle let him be continually girded with it.

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

20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, and of those that speak evil against my soul.

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

21 But thou, O Eternal Lord, deal with me for the sake of thy name: because thy kindness is good, deliver thou me.

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

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

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

23 Like the shadow when it declineth do I hasten away: I am driven suddenly off like the locusts.

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

24 My knees stumble through fasting, and my flesh faileth of fatness.

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

25 And I am become a reproach unto them: when they see me, they shake their head.

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

26 Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy kindness:

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

27 That they may know that this is thy hand: that thou, Lord, hast truly done it.

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

28 Let them then curse, but do thou bless: when they arise, let them be made ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

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

29 Let my accusers be clothed with confusion, and let them wrap themselves, as with a mantle, in their own shame.

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

30 I will thank the Lord greatly with my mouth, and in the midst of many will I praise him.

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

31 For he ever standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those that judge his soul.

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