Psalm 109

1 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.

3 They have compassed me about also with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they are my adversaries: But I give myself unto prayer.

5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

6 Set thou a wicked man over him; And let an adversary stand at his right hand.

7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty; And let his prayer be turned into 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 be vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.

11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; And let strangers make spoil of his labor.

12 Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; Neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.

13 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 with Jehovah; And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before Jehovah continually, That he may cut off the memory of them from the earth;

16 Because he remembered not to show kindness, But persecuted the poor and needy man, And the broken in heart, to slay them.

17 Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; And he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

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

19 Let it be unto him as the raiment wherewith he covereth himself, And for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 This is the reward of mine adversaries from Jehovah, And of them that speak evil against my soul.

21 But deal thou with me, O Jehovah the Lord, for thy name’s sake: Because thy lovingkindness is good, deliver thou me;

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

23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting; And my flesh faileth of fatness.

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

26 Help me, O Jehovah my God; Oh save me according to thy lovingkindness:

27 That they may know that this is thy hand; That thou, Jehovah, hast done it.

28 Let them curse, but bless thou: When they arise, they shall be put to shame, But thy servant shall rejoice.

29  Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30 I will give great thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, To save him from them that judge his soul.

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 Cut his life shortt
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 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 When my enemies see me,t
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 defend them
when they are on trial.