1 S trive thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me: Fight thou against them that fight against me.

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

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

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help!

3 D raw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Draw 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!

4 L et them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

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

5 L et them be as chaff before the wind, And the angel of Jehovah driving them on.

Let them be as chaff before the wind, with the Angel of the Lord driving them on!

6 L et their way be dark and slippery, And the angel of Jehovah pursuing them.

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

7 F or without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit; Without cause have they digged a pit for my soul.

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

8 L et destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: With destruction let him fall therein.

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

9 A nd my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah: It shall rejoice in his salvation.

Then I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.

10 A ll my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?

All 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?

11 U nrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not.

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

12 T hey reward me evil for good, To the bereaving of my soul.

They reward me evil for good to my personal bereavement.

13 B ut as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

But 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.

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.

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

15 B ut in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; They did tear me, and ceased not:

But 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.

16 L ike the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Like profane mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 L ord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.

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

18 I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much people.

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

19 L et not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

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

20 F or they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.

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

21 Y ea, they opened their mouth wide against me; They said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

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

22 T hou hast seen it, O Jehovah; keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

You have seen this, O Lord; keep not silence! O Lord, be not far from me!

23 S tir up thyself, and awake to the justice due unto me, Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

Arouse Yourself, awake to the justice due me, even to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24 J udge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.

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

25 L et them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

Let 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.

26 L et them be put to shame and confounded together that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.

Let 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!

27 L et them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, Who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

Let 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.

28 A nd my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness And of thy praise all the day long.

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