Psalm 109

Psalm 109

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

My God, whom I praise,^a

do not remain silent,^b

for people who are wicked and deceitful^c

have opened their mouths against me;

they have spoken against me with lying tongues.^d

With words of hatred^e they surround me;

they attack me without cause.^f

In return for my friendship they accuse me,

but I am a man of prayer.^g

They repay me evil for good,^h

and hatred for my friendship.

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;

let an accuserⁱ stand at his right hand.

When he is tried, let him be found guilty,^j

and may his prayers condemn^k him.

May his days be few;^l

may another take his place^m of leadership.

May his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow.ⁿ

May his children be wandering beggars;^o

may they be driven from their ruined homes.

May a creditor^p seize all he has;

may strangers plunder^q the fruits of his labor.^r

May no one extend kindness to him

or take pity^s on his fatherless children.

May his descendants be cut off,^t

their names blotted out^u from the next generation.

May the iniquity of his fathers^v be remembered before the Lord;

may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

May their sins always remain before^w the Lord,

that he may blot out their name^x from the earth.

For he never thought of doing a kindness,

but hounded to death the poor

and the needy^y and the brokenhearted.^z

He loved to pronounce a curse—

may it come on him.^a

He found no pleasure in blessing—

may it be far from him.

He wore cursing^b as his garment;

it entered into his body like water,^c

into his bones like oil.

May it be like a cloak wrapped^d about him,

like a belt tied forever around him.

May this be the Lord’s payment^e to my accusers,

to those who speak evil^f of me.

But you, Sovereign Lord,

help me for your name’s sake;^g

out of the goodness of your love,^h deliver me.ⁱ

For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is wounded within me.

I fade away like an evening shadow;^j

I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees give^k way from fasting;^l

my body is thin and gaunt.^m

I am an object of scornⁿ to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.^o

Help me,^p Lord my God;

save me according to your unfailing love.

Let them know^q that it is your hand,

that you, Lord, have done it.

While they curse,^r may you bless;

may those who attack me be put to shame,

but may your servant rejoice.^s

May my accusers be clothed with disgrace

and wrapped in shame^t as in a cloak.

With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;

in the great throng^u of worshipers I will praise him.

For he stands at the right hand^v of the needy,

to save their lives from those who would condemn them.