1 P lead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who 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 A lso draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your 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 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.

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

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 unexpectedly, And let his net that he has hidden 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 You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders 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 ierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.

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 sorrow 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 myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.

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

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

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

17 L ord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life 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 You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

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

19 L et them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; Nor let them wink with the eye who 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 do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful matters Against the quiet ones in the land.

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

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

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

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

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

23 S tir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To 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 V indicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your 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 we would 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 mutual confusion Who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor Who exalt 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, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has 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 Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long.

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