1 P lead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight 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 mine 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 persecute 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 confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion 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 let the angel of the Lord chase them.

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 let the angel of the Lord persecute 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, which without cause they have digged 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 at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

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 the Lord: 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, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth 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 F alse witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

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

12 T hey rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling 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 humbled 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 he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for 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: yea, 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 W ith hypocritical 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 congregation: 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 matters 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, and 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 his thou hast seen, O Lord: 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 my judgment, 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 Lord 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 hearts, Ah, 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 ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour 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 favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which 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 speak 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.