Psalms 109
1 God, you are the one whom I praise, [So please] answer [my prayer],
To the Overseer. — A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,
2 because wicked people slander me and tell [MTY] lies about me.
For the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, Against me they have opened, They have spoken with me — A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!
3 They are constantly saying that they hate me, and they say evil things about me for no reason.
They have compassed me about, And they fight me without cause.
4 I show them that I want to be their friends and I pray for them, but [instead of being kind to me], they say that I have done evil things.
For my love they oppose me, and I — prayer!
5 In return for my doing good things for them and loving them, they do evil things to me and hate me.
And they set against me evil for good, And hatred for my love.
6 They said, “Appoint a wicked [judge] who will judge him, and bring in one of his enemies who will stand up and accuse him.
Appoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.
7 And cause that when the trial [ends], [the judge will] declare that he is guilty, and that [even] his prayer will be considered to be a sin.
In his being judged, he goeth forth wicked, And his prayer is for sin.
8 [Then], cause that he will soon die and that someone else will have his job/work (OR, possessions).
His days are few, his oversight another taketh,
9 Cause that his children will not have a father any more and that his wife will become a widow.
His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.
10 Cause that his children will be forced to leave the ruined homes that they have been living in and wander around begging for food.
And wander continually do his sons, Yea, they have begged, And have sought out of their dry places.
11 Cause that all the people to whom he owed money will seize all his property; Cause that strangers will take away everything that he worked to acquire.
An exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.
12 Cause that [while he is still living] no one will be kind to him, and [after he dies], cause that no one will pity his children.
He hath none to extend kindness, Nor is there one showing favour to his orphans.
13 Cause that all his descendants will die and that his grandchildren will not remember who he [MTY] was.
His posterity is for cutting off, In another generation is their name blotted out.
14 Yahweh, remember [and do not forgive] his ancestors for the evil things that they did, and do not [even] forgive the sins that his mother committed;
The iniquity of his fathers Is remembered unto Jehovah, And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.
15 think about his sins continually, and cause that his name will be completely forgotten.
They are before Jehovah continually, And He cutteth off from earth their memorial.
16 He never was kind to anyone; he (persecuted/cause problems for) poor and needy [people] and even killed helpless [people].
Because that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart — to slay,
17 He liked to curse [people]. [So] cause those terrible things that he requested to happen to others to happen to him! He did not want to bless [others], [so] cause that no one will bless him!
And he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.
18 He cursed other people [as often/easily] as he put on his clothes [SIM]; cause that the terrible things that he wanted to happen to others will [happen to him and] enter his body like water [that he drinks] [SIM], like [olive] oil soaks into a person’s bones [when it is rubbed on his skin] [SIM].
And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.
19 Cause that those terrible things will cling to him like his clothes and be around him like the belt that he wears every day.”
It is to him as apparel — he covereth himself, And for a continual girdle he girdeth it on.
20 Yahweh, I want you to punish all my enemies that way, those who say evil things about me.
This [is] the wage of mine accusers from Jehovah, And of those speaking evil against my soul.
21 But Yahweh, my God, do good things for me in order that I may honor you; rescue me [from my enemies] because your faithfully loving me is good.
And Thou, O Jehovah Lord, Deal with me for Thy name's sake, Because Thy kindness [is] good, deliver me.
22 [I ask you to do this] because I am poor and needy and my inner being is (full of pain/very troubled/discouraged).
For I [am] poor and needy, And my heart hath been pierced in my midst.
23 [I think that] my time [to remain alive] is short, like an evening shadow [that will soon disappear] [SIM]. I will be blown away like a locust/grasshopper is blown [by the wind].
As a shadow when it is stretched out I have gone, I have been driven away as a locust.
24 My knees are weak because I have (fasted/abstained from eating food) very often, and my body has become very thin.
My knees have been feeble from fasting, And my flesh hath failed of fatness.
25 The people who accuse me make fun of me; when they see me, they [insult me by] shaking their heads [at me as though I were an evil man].
And I — I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.
26 Yahweh, my God, help me! Because you faithfully love [me], rescue me!
Help me, O Jehovah my God, Save me, according to Thy kindness.
27 [When you save me], cause my enemies to know that you are the one who has done it!
And they know that this [is] Thy hand, Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast done it.
28 They may curse me, but I ask that you bless me. Cause those who (persecute/cause problems for) me [to be defeated and as a result] to be disgraced/ashamed, and cause me to be glad/happy!
They revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.
29 Cause those who accuse me to be completely disgraced; cause [other people to see] that they are disgraced, as [easily as they see] the clothes that they wear [SIM]!
Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe [is] their shame.
30 But I will thank Yahweh very greatly; I will praise him [when I am] among the crowd [of people who are worshiping him].
I thank Jehovah greatly with my mouth, And in the midst of many I praise Him,
31 [I will do that] because he defends [MTY] needy [people like me], and saves us from those who have decided/declared that we must be executed.
For He standeth at the right hand of the needy, To save from those judging his soul.
