Psalms 109

1To the Overseer. --A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,

1 God of my praise, let my prayer be answered;

2For 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!

2For the mouth of the sinner is open against me in deceit: his tongue has said false things against me.

3They have compassed me about, And they fight me without cause.

3Words of hate are round about me; they have made war against me without cause.

4For my love they oppose me, and I--prayer!

4For my love they give me back hate; but I have given myself to prayer.

5And they set against me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

5They have put on me evil for good; hate in exchange for my love.

6Appoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.

6Put an evil man over him; and let one be placed at his right hand to say evil of him.

7In his being judged, he goeth forth wicked, And his prayer is for sin.

7When he is judged, let the decision go against him; and may his prayer become sin.

8His days are few, his oversight another taketh,

8Let his life be short; let another take his position of authority.

9His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.

9Let his children have no father, and his wife be made a widow.

10And wander continually do his sons, Yea, they have begged, And have sought out of their dry places.

10Let his children be wanderers, looking to others for their food; let them be sent away from the company of their friends.

11An exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.

11Let his creditor take all his goods; and let others have the profit of his work.

12He hath none to extend kindness, Nor is there one showing favour to his orphans.

12Let no man have pity on him, or give help to his children when he is dead.

13His posterity is for cutting off, In another generation is their name blotted out.

13Let his seed be cut off; in the coming generation let their name go out of memory.

14The iniquity of his fathers Is remembered unto Jehovah, And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.

14Let the Lord keep in mind the wrongdoing of his fathers; and may the sin of his mother have no forgiveness.

15They are before Jehovah continually, And He cutteth off from earth their memorial.

15Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth.

16Because that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart--to slay,

16Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.

17And he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.

17As he took pleasure in cursing, so let it come on him; and as he had no delight in blessing, let it be far from him.

18And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

18He put on cursing like a robe, and it has come into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

19It is to him as apparel--he covereth himself, And for a continual girdle he girdeth it on.

19Let it be to him as a robe which he puts on, let it be like a band which is round him at all times.

20This <FI>is<Fi> the wage of mine accusers from Jehovah, And of those speaking evil against my soul.

20Let this be the reward given to my haters from the Lord, and to those who say evil of my soul.

21And Thou, O Jehovah Lord, Deal with me for Thy name's sake, Because Thy kindness <FI>is<Fi> good, deliver me.

21But, O Lord God, give me your help, because of your name; take me out of danger, because your mercy is good.

22For I <FI>am<Fi> poor and needy, And my heart hath been pierced in my midst.

22For I am poor and in need, and my heart is wounded in me.

23As a shadow when it is stretched out I have gone, I have been driven away as a locust.

23I am gone like the shade when it is stretched out: I am forced out of my place like a locust.

24My knees have been feeble from fasting, And my flesh hath failed of fatness.

24My knees are feeble for need of food; there is no fat on my bones.

25And I--I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.

25As for me, they make sport of me; shaking their heads when they see me.

26Help me, O Jehovah my God, Save me, according to Thy kindness.

26Give me help, O Lord my God; in your mercy be my saviour;

27And they know that this <FI>is<Fi> Thy hand, Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast done it.

27So that they may see that it is the work of your hand; that you, Lord, have done it.

28They revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.

28They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.

29Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe <FI>is<Fi> their shame.

29Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe.

30I thank Jehovah greatly with my mouth, And in the midst of many I praise Him,

30I will give the Lord great praise with my mouth; yes, I will give praise to him among all the people.

31For He standeth at the right hand of the needy, To save from those judging his soul.

31For he is ever at the right hand of the poor, to take him out of the hands of those who go after his soul.