1 ¶ Plead my cause, O LORD, with those that strive with me; fight against those that fight against me.

Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.

2 T ake hold of shield and buckler, and stand up in 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 those that persecute me; say unto my soul; I am thy saving health.

Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

4 L et them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor Who seek after my life; Let those be turned back and brought to confusion Who plot my hurt.

5 L et them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

Let them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them.

6 L et their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

Let their way be dark and slippery, And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.

7 F or without cause they have hid their net for me in a pit, which without cause they have dug for my soul.

For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, Which they have dug without cause for my life.

8 L et destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden catch himself; Into that very destruction let him fall.

9 A nd my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in his saving health.

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.

10 A ll my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, who delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?

All my bones shall say, “ Lord, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

11 ¶ False witnesses rose up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Fierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.

12 T hey rewarded me evil for good until my soul was alone.

They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.

13 B ut as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer rose up in my bosom.

But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.

I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother.

15 B ut in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; yea, the smiters gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they tore me apart and did not cease:

But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease;

16 W ith immature hypocritical mockers, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 ¶ Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Restore my soul from their destructions, my life from the lions.

Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.

18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among many people.

I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

19 L et not those that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those that hate me wink with the eye without a cause.

Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

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

For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land.

21 Y ea, they opened their mouth wide against me and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.

They also opened their mouth wide against me, And said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it. ”

22 T his thou hast seen, O LORD; do not keep silence; O Lord, do not be far from me.

This You have seen, O Lord; Do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me.

23 S tir up thyself and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.

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

Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.

25 L et them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it; let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 L et them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt themselves against me.

27 L et them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous cause; let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the peace of his slave.

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

28 A nd my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.