The Book of Psalms

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 109 -

The song of the slandered

TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF DAVID. O God of my praise, do not be silent,

For the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, || They have opened against me, || They have spoken with me—A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!

They have surrounded me about, || And they fight me without cause.

For my love they oppose me, and I—prayer!

And they set against me evil for good, || And hatred for my love.

Appoint the wicked over him, || And an adversary stands at his right hand.

In his being judged, he goes forth wicked, || And his prayer is for sin.

His days are few, another takes his oversight,

His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.

And his sons wander continually, || Indeed, they have begged, || And have sought out of their dry places.

An exactor lays a snare for all that he has, || And strangers spoil his labor.

He has none to extend kindness, || Nor is there one showing favor to his orphans.

His posterity is for cutting off, || Their name is blotted out in another generation.

The iniquity of his fathers || Is remembered to YHWH, || And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.

They are continually before YHWH, || And He cuts off their memorial from earth.

Because that he has not remembered to do kindness, || And pursues the poor man and needy, || And the struck of heart—to slay,

And he loves reviling, and it meets him, || And he has not delighted in blessing, || And it is far from him.

And he puts on reviling as his robe, || And it comes in as water into his midst, || And as oil into his bones.

It is to him as apparel—he covers himself, || And he girds it on for a continual girdle.

This [is] the wage of my accusers from YHWH, || And of those speaking evil against my soul.

And You, O Lord YHWH, || Deal with me for Your Name’s sake, || Because Your kindness [is] good, deliver me.

For I [am] poor and needy, || And my heart has been pierced in my midst.

I have gone as a shadow when it is stretched out, || I have been driven away as a locust.

My knees have been feeble from fasting, || And my flesh has failed of fatness.

And I have been a reproach to them, || They see me, they shake their head.

Help me, O YHWH my God, || Save me, according to Your kindness.

And they know that this [is] Your hand, || You, O YHWH, You have done it.

They revile, and You bless, || They have risen, and are ashamed, || And Your servant rejoices.

My accusers put on blushing, and are covered, || Their shame [is] as an upper robe.

I thank YHWH greatly with my mouth, || And I praise Him in the midst of many,

For He stands at the right hand of the needy, || To save from those judging his soul.

The song of the slandered

God of my praise, don’t remain silent,

for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin.

Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.

Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.

Let his posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

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

Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him.

This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my soul.

But deal with me, GOD the Lord,(a) for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;

for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.

I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.

Help me, LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;

that they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it.

They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.

Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

Footnotes

(a)109:21 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”