1 C ontend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

2 T ake hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!

Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

3 D raw out also the spear and javelin and close up the way of those who pursue and persecute me. Say to me, I am your deliverance!

And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, `Thy salvation I.'

4 L et them be put to shame and dishonor who seek and require my life; let them be turned back and confounded who plan my hurt!

They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

5 L et them be as chaff before the wind, with the Angel of the Lord driving them on!

They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

6 L et their way be through dark and slippery places, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing and afflicting them.

Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

7 F or without cause they hid for me their net; a pit of destruction without cause they dug for my life.

For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.

8 L et destruction befall unawares; let the net he hid for me catch him; let him fall into that very destruction.

Meet him doth desolation -- he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.

9 T hen I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.

10 A ll my bones shall say, Lord, who is like You, You Who deliver the poor and the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who snatches away his goods?

All my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'

11 M alicious and unrighteous witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I know not.

Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

12 T hey reward me evil for good to my personal bereavement.

They pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,

13 B ut as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting, and I prayed with head bowed on my breast.

And I -- in their sickness my clothing sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.

14 I behaved as if grieving for my friend or my brother; I bowed down in sorrow, as one who bewails his mother.

As a friend, as my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.

15 B ut in my stumbling and limping they rejoiced and gathered together; the smiters (slanderers and revilers) gathered against me, and I knew them not; they ceased not to slander and revile me.

And -- in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;

16 L ike profane mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth.

With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

17 L ord, how long will You look on ? Rescue my life from their destructions, my dear and only life from the lions!

Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among a mighty throng.

I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.

19 L et not those who are wrongfully my foes rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without cause.

Mine enemies rejoice not over me falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

20 F or they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land.

For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

21 Y es, they open their mouths wide against me; they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it!

And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, `Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'

22 Y ou have seen this, O Lord; keep not silence! O Lord, be not far from me!

Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord -- be not far from me,

23 A rouse Yourself, awake to the justice due me, even to my cause, my God and my Lord!

Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

24 J udge and vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness (Your rightness and justice); and let not rejoice over me!

Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.

25 L et them not say in their hearts, Aha, that is what we wanted! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up and utterly destroyed him.

They do not say in their heart, `Aha, our desire.' They do not say, `We swallowed him up.'

26 L et them be put to shame and confusion together who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify and exalt themselves over me!

They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.

27 L et those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'

28 A nd my tongue shall talk of Your righteousness, rightness, and justice, and of Your praise all the day long.

And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!