Psalm 109

Prayer against an Enemy

For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.

1 God of my praise, do not be silent. z

2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;

they speak against me with lying tongues. a

3 They surround me with hateful words

and attack me without cause. b

4 In return for my love they accuse me,

but I continue to pray. c d

5 They repay me evil for good,

and hatred for my love. e

6 Set a wicked person over him;

let an accuser f stand at his right hand. g

7 When he is judged, let him be found * guilty,

and let his prayer be counted as sin. h

8 Let his days be few;

let another take over his position. i

9 Let his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow. j

10 Let his children wander as beggars,

searching for food far k from their demolished homes. l

11 Let a creditor seize all he has;

let strangers plunder what he has worked for. m

12 Let no one show him kindness,

and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children. n

13 Let the line of his descendants be cut off;

let their name be blotted out in the next generation. o

14 Let his ancestors’ guilt

be remembered before the Lord, p

and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out. q

15 Let their sins r always remain before the Lord,

and let Him erase s all memory of them from the earth. t

16 For he did not think to show kindness,

but pursued the afflicted, poor, and brokenhearted

in order to put them to death. u

17 He loved cursing—let it fall on him;

he took no delight in blessing—let it be far from him. v

18 He wore cursing like his coat—

let it enter his body like water

and go into his bones like oil. w

19 Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,

like a belt he always wears. x

20 Let this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,

to those who speak evil against me. y

21 But You, * Yahweh my Lord,

deal kindly with me because of Your name; z

deliver me because of the goodness of Your faithful love. a

22 For I am afflicted and needy; b

my heart is wounded within me. c

23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow; d

I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are weak from fasting,

and my body is emaciated. e f

25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers; g

when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn. h

26 Help me, Lord my God;

save me according to Your faithful love i

27 so they may know that this is Your hand

and that You, Lord, have done it. j

28 Though they curse, You will bless.

When they rise up, they will be put to shame,

but Your servant will rejoice. k

29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;

they will wear their shame like a cloak. l

30 I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth;

I will praise Him in the presence of many. m

31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy

to save him from those who would condemn him. n