Psalm 109

1 For the choir director; a psalm by David. O God, whom I praise, do not turn a deaf ear to me.2 Wicked and deceitful people have opened their mouths against me.They speak against me with lying tongues.3 They surround me with hateful words.They fight against me for no reason.4 In return for my love, they accuse me,but I pray for them.t5 They reward me with evil instead of goodand with hatred instead of love.6 I said, “Appoint the evil one to oppose him.Let Satan stand beside him.7 When he stands trial,let him be found guilty.Let his prayer be considered sinful.8 Let his days be few in number.Let someone else take his position.9 “Let his children become fatherless and his wife a widow.10 Let his children wander around and beg.Let them seek help far from their ruined homes.11 Let a creditor take everything he owns.Let strangers steal what he has worked for.12 Let no one be kind to him anymore.Let no one show any pity to his fatherless children.13 Let his descendants be cut offand their family name be wiped out by the next generation.14 Let the Lord remember the guilt of his ancestorsand not wipe out his mother’s sin.15 Let their guilt and sin always remain on recordin front of the Lord.Let the Lord remove every memory of himt from the earth,16 because he did not remember to be kind.“He drove oppressed, needy,and brokenhearted people to their graves.17 He loved to put curses on others,so he, too, was cursed.He did not like to bless others,so he never received a blessing.18 He wore cursing as though it were clothing,so cursing entered his body like waterand his bones like oil.19 Let cursing be his clothing,a belt he always wears.”20 This is how the Lord rewards those who accuse me,those who say evil things against me.21 O Lord Almighty, deal with me out of the goodness of your name.Rescue me because of your mercy.22 I am oppressed and needy.I can feel the pain in my heart.23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow.I have been shaken off like a grasshopper.24 My knees give way because I have been fasting.My body has become lean, without any fat.25 I have become the victim of my enemies’ insults.They look at me and shake their heads.26 Help me, O Lord my God.Save me because of your mercy.27 Then they will know that this is your doing,that you, O Lord, are the one who saved me.28 They may curse, but you will bless.Let those who attack me be ashamed,but let me rejoice.29 Let those who accuse me wear disgrace as though it were clothing.Let them be wrapped in their shame as though it were a robe.30 With my mouth I will give many thanks to the Lord.I will praise him among many people,31 because he stands beside needy peopleto save them from those who would condemn them to death.

Psalm 109

For the music director, a psalm of David.

1 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me!

2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;
they lie to me.

3 They surround me and say hateful things;
they attack me for no reason.

4 They repay my love with accusations,
but I continue to pray.

5 They repay me evil for good,
and hate for love.

6 Appoint an evil man to testify against him!
May an accuser stand at his right side!

7 When he is judged, he will be found guilty!
Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.

8 May his days be few!
May another take his job!

9 May his children be fatherless,
and his wife a widow!

10 May his children roam around begging,
asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home!

11 May the creditor seize all he owns!
May strangers loot his property!

12 May no one show him kindness!
May no one have compassion on his fatherless children!

13 May his descendants be cut off!
May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives!

14 May his ancestors’ sins be remembered by the Lord!
May his mother’s sin not be forgotten!

15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them,
and cut off the memory of his children from the earth!

16 For he never bothered to show kindness;
he harassed the oppressed and needy,
and killed the disheartened.

17 He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him.
He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.

18 He made cursing a way of life,
so curses poured into his stomach like water
and seeped into his bones like oil.

19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on,
or a belt one wears continually!

20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way,
those who say evil things about me!

21 O sovereign Lord,
intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation!
Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!

22 For I am oppressed and needy,
and my heart beats violently within me.

23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day;
I am shaken off like a locust.

24 I am so starved my knees shake;
I have turned into skin and bones.

25 I am disdained by them.
When they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Because you are faithful to me, deliver me!

27 Then they will realize this is your work,
and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.

28 They curse, but you will bless.
When they attack, they will be humiliated,
but your servant will rejoice.

29 My accusers will be covered with shame,
and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.

30 I will thank the Lord profusely,
in the middle of a crowd I will praise him,

31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to deliver him from those who threaten his life.