Psalm 109

1 Do not keep silent,

Plea for Judgment of False AccusersTo the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise!

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause.4 In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer.5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.6 Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand.7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty, And let his prayer become sin.8 Let his days be few, And let another take his office.9 Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow.10 Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places.11 Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder his labor.12 Let there be none to extend mercy to him, Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.13 Let his posterity be cut off, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.15 Let them be continually before the Lord, That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;16 Because he did not remember to show mercy, But persecuted the poor and needy man, That he might even slay the broken in heart.17 As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones.19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him, And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.20  Let this be the Lords reward to my accusers, And to those who speak evil against my person.21 But You, O God the Lord, Deal with me for Your names sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.22 For I am poor and needy, And my heart is wounded within me.23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.24 My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.25 I also have become a reproach to them; When they look at me, they shake their heads.26 Help me, O Lord my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy,27 That they may know that this is Your hand That You, Lord, have done it!28 Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice.29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame, And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who condemn him.

PSALMS 109

A Prayer //for the [Lord]'s Help

1 I praise you, God!
Don't keep silent.

2 Destructive and deceitful lies
are told about me,

3 and hateful things are said
for no reason.

4 I had pity and prayedt
for my enemies,
but their words to me
were harsh and cruel.

5 For being friendly and kind,
they paid me back
with meanness and hatred.

6 My enemies said,
“Find some worthless fools
to accuse him of a crime.

7 Try him and find him guilty!
Consider his prayers a lie.

8  t Cut his life short
and let someone else
have his job.

9 Make orphans of his children
and a widow of his wife;

10 make his children beg for food
and live in the slums.

11 “Let the people he owes
take everything he owns.
Give it all to strangers.

12 Don't let anyone be kind to him
or have pity on the children
he leaves behind.

13 Bring an end to his family,
and from now on let him be
a forgotten man.

14 “Don't let the [Lord] forgive
the sins of his parents
and his ancestors.

15 Don't let the [Lord] forget
the sins of his family,
or let anyone remember
his family ever lived.

16 He was so cruel to the poor,
homeless, and discouraged
that they died young.

17 “He cursed others.
Now place a curse on him!
He never wished others well.
Wish only trouble for him!

18 He cursed others more often
than he dressed himself.
Let his curses strike him deep,
just as water and olive oil
soak through to our bones.

19 Let his curses surround him,
just like the belt and clothes
he wears each day.”

20 Those are the cruel things
my enemies wish for me.
Let it all happen to them!

21 Be true to your name, [Lord] God!
Show your great kindness
and rescue me.

22 I am poor and helpless,
and I have lost all hope.

23 I am fading away
like an evening shadow;
I am tossed aside
like a crawling insect.

24 I have gone without eating, t
until my knees are weak,
and my body is bony.

25  t When my enemies see me,
they say cruel things
and shake their heads.

26 Please help me, [Lord] God!
Come and save me
because of your love.

27 Let others know that you alone
have saved me.

28 I don't care if they curse me,
as long as you bless me.
You will make my enemies fail
when they attack,
and you will make me glad
to be your servant.

29 You will cover them with shame,
just as their bodies
are covered with clothes.

30 I will sing your praises
and thank you, [Lord],
when your people meet.

31 You help everyone in need,
and you save them from death.