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 buckler and shield And rise 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 also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

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 those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

5 L et them be like chaff before the wind, And let the angel of the Lord chase them.

Let them be like 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 dark and slippery, With the angel of the Lord pursuing 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 their net for me; Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

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 come upon him unawares, And let the net which he hid 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 salvation.

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

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 will say, “ Lord, who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

11 F ierce witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.

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

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

They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul.

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 humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom.

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

I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a 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 at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing.

16 W ith ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth.

Like godless jesters at a feast, 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 soul from their ravages, My 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 congregation; 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.

Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.

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 words 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. ”

They opened their mouth wide against me; They said, “ 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 it, O Lord, do not keep silent; O Lord, do not be far from me.

23 S tir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord.

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And 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 me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness, And do not let them 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.”

Do not let them say in their heart, “ Aha, our desire!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

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 those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify 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 them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, “The Lord be magnified, Who delights 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 declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.