1 O God of my praise! Keep not silence,

2 F or the mouths of the wicked and the mouth of deceit are opened against me; they have spoken to me and against me with lying tongues.

3 T hey have compassed me about also with words of hatred and have fought against me without a cause.

4 I n return for my love they are my adversaries, but I resort to prayer.

5 A nd they have rewarded and laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 S et a wicked man over him, and let accuser stand at his right hand.

7 W hen is judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be turned into a sin.

8 L et his days be few; and let another take his office and charge.

9 L et his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

10 L et his children be continual vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread and be driven far from their ruined homes.

11 L et the creditor and extortioner seize all that he has; and let strangers (barbarians and foreigners) plunder the fruits of his labor.

12 L et there be none to extend or continue mercy and kindness to him, neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.

13 L et his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their names be blotted out.

14 L et the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 L et them be before the Lord continually, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth!—

16 B ecause the man did not remember to show mercy, but pursued and persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart to slay.

17 Y es, he loved cursing, and it came upon him; he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

18 H e clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it seeped into his inward like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 L et it be to him as the raiment with which he covers himself and as the girdle with which he is girded continually.

20 L et this be the reward of my adversaries from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my life.

21 B ut You deal with me and act for me, O God the Lord, for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy and loving-kindness are good, O deliver me.

22 F or I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded and stricken within me.

23 I am gone like the shadow when it lengthens and declines; I toss up and down and am shaken off as the locust.

24 M y knees are weak and totter from fasting; and my body is gaunt and has no fatness.

25 I have become also a reproach and a taunt to others; when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 H elp me, O Lord my God; O save me according to Your mercy and loving-kindness!—

27 T hat they may know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.

28 L et them curse, but do You bless. When adversaries arise, let them be put to shame, but let Your servant rejoice.

29 L et my adversaries be clothed with shame and dishonor, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace and confusion as with a robe.

30 I will give great praise and thanks to the Lord with my mouth; yes, and I will praise Him among the multitude.

31 F or He will stand at the right hand of the poor and needy, to save him from those who condemn his life.