1 B lessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is he who considers the weak and the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of evil and trouble.

Happy is the man who cares for the poor. The Lord will save him in times of trouble.

2 T he Lord will protect him and keep him alive; he shall be called blessed in the land; and You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

The Lord will keep him alive and safe. And he will be happy upon the earth. You will not give him over to the desire of those who hate him.

3 T he Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You will turn, change, and transform in his illness.

The Lord will give him strength on his bed of sickness. When he is sick, You will make him well again.

4 I said, Lord, be merciful and gracious to me; heal my inner self, for I have sinned against You.

As for me, I said, “O Lord, have loving-kindness for me. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”

5 M y enemies speak evil of me,, When will he die and his name perish?

Those who hate me speak bad words against me, saying, “When will he die, and his name be forgotten?”

6 A nd when one comes to see me, he speaks falsehood and empty words, while his heart gathers mischievous gossip; when he goes away, he tells it abroad.

When one comes to see me, he speaks lies. His heart gathers up bad stories. Then he goes outside and tells them.

7 A ll who hate me whisper together about me; against me do they devise my hurt.

All who hate me speak in secret together against me. They make plans to hurt me, saying,

8 A n evil disease, say they, is poured out upon him and cleaves fast to him; and now that he is bedfast, he will not rise up again.

“A bad thing has come over him. When he lies down, he will not rise again.”

9 E ven my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted (relied on and was confident), who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

Even a friend of mine whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has turned against me.

10 B ut You, O Lord, be merciful and gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.

Have loving-kindness for me, O Lord. Raise me up, so that I may pay them back.

11 B y this I know that You favor and delight in me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.

Then I will know that You are pleased with me, because he who hates me does not win over me.

12 A nd as for me, You have upheld me in my integrity and set me in Your presence forever.

As for me, You hold me up in my honesty. And You set me beside You forever.

13 B lessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting and to everlasting! Amen and Amen (so be it).

Honor be to the Lord, the God of Israel, forever and ever! Let it be so!