1 ¶ Do not hold thy peace, O God of my praise;

O God of my praise! Keep not silence,

2 f or the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me; they have spoken of me with a lying tongue.

For 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 compassed me about with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause.

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

4 T hey have responded to my love by becoming my adversaries, but I give myself unto prayer.

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

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

And they have rewarded and laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 ¶ Set thou the wicked man over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand.

Set a wicked man over him, and let accuser stand at his right hand.

7 W hen he shall be judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer become sin.

When 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.

Let his days be few; and let another take his office and charge.

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

Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

10 L et his children be continually vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread out of their desolate places.

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

11 L et the extortioner catch all that he has, and let the strangers spoil his labour.

Let 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 no one to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

Let 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 name be blotted out.

Let 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 with the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Let 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.

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

16 B ecause he did not remember to show mercy but persecuted the man who is poor in spirit and destitute and broken in heart, that he might slay him.

Because 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 A s he loved the curse, so let it come unto him; as he delighted not in the blessing, so let it be far from him.

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

18 A s he clothed himself with the curse like as with his garment, and it entered into his bowels like water and like oil into his bones.

He 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 unto him as the garment which covers him and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

Let 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 from the LORD of those who spoke falsely against me and of those that speak evil against my soul.

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

21 ¶ And thou, O GOD the Lord, do unto me for thy name’s sake; because thy mercy is good, deliver me.

But 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 within me.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded and stricken within me.

23 I am gone like the shadow when it declines; I am tossed up and down by the wind as the locust.

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 through fasting, and my flesh fails for lack of fatness.

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

25 I have become a reproach unto them; when they looked upon me they shook their heads.

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 thy mercy,

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

27 t hat they may know that this is thy hand, that thou, O LORD, hast done it.

That they may know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.

28 L et them curse, but bless thou; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let thy slave rejoice.

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

29 L et those who speak evil against me falsely be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle.

Let 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 greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

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 shall stand at the right hand of the poor in spirit to save his soul from those that judge him.

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