Psalm 10921

For the music director, a psalm of David.

109:1 O God whom I praise, do not ignore me!1

109:2 For they say cruel and deceptive things to me;

they lie to me.2

109:3 They surround me and say hateful things;3

they attack me for no reason.

109:4 They repay my love with accusations,4

but I continue to pray.5

109:5 They repay me evil for good,6

and hate for love.

109:6 7 Appoint an evil man to testify against him!8

May an accuser stand9 at his right side!

109:7 When he is judged, he will be found10 guilty!11

Then his prayer will be regarded as sinful.

109:8 May his days be few!12

May another take his job!13

109:9 May his children14 be fatherless,

and his wife a widow!

109:10 May his children15 roam around begging,

asking for handouts as they leave their ruined home!16

109:11 May the creditor seize17 all he owns!

May strangers loot his property!18

109:12 May no one show him kindness!19

May no one have compassion20 on his fatherless children!

109:13 May his descendants21 be cut off!22

May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives!23

109:14 May his ancestors’24 sins be remembered by the Lord!

May his mother’s sin not be forgotten!25

109:15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them,26

and cut off the memory of his children27 from the earth!

109:16 For he never bothered to show kindness;28

he harassed the oppressed and needy,

and killed the disheartened.29

109:17 He loved to curse30 others, so those curses have come upon him.31

He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.32

109:18 He made cursing a way of life,33

so curses poured into his stomach like water

and seeped into his bones like oil.34

109:19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on,35

or a belt36 one wears continually!

109:20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way,37

those who say evil things about38 me!39

109:21 O sovereign Lord,

intervene on my behalf for the sake of your reputation!40

Because your loyal love is good, deliver me!

109:22 For I am oppressed and needy,

and my heart beats violently within me.41

109:23 I am fading away like a shadow at the end of the day;42

I am shaken off like a locust.

109:24 I am so starved my knees shake;43

I have turned into skin and bones.44

109:25 I am disdained by them.45

When they see me, they shake their heads.46

109:26 Help me, O Lord my God!

Because you are faithful to me, deliver me!47

109:27 Then they will realize48 this is your work,49

and that you, Lord, have accomplished it.

109:28 They curse, but you will bless.50

When they attack, they will be humiliated,51

but your servant will rejoice.

109:29 My accusers will be covered52 with shame,

and draped in humiliation as if it were a robe.

109:30 I will thank the Lord profusely,53

in the middle of a crowd54 I will praise him,

109:31 because he stands at the right hand of the needy,

to deliver him from those who threaten55 his life.