1 P lead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me.

O Lord, stand against those who stand against me. Fight those who fight me.

2 T ake hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.

Take hold of a safe-covering and rise up to help me.

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

Take a spear and battle-ax against those who come to get me. Say to my soul, “I am the One Who saves you.”

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 the people be ashamed and without honor who want to take my life. Let those be turned away and brought to shame who plan to hurt me.

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

Let them be like straw in the wind. May the angel of the Lord drive them away.

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

Let their way be dark and dangerous, with the angel of the Lord going to get 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 a reason they hid their net for me. Without a reason, they dug a hole 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 them be destroyed before they know it. And let them be caught in their own net. May they destroy themselves as they fall into their own hole.

9 A nd my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.

My soul will be happy in the Lord. It will be full of joy because He saves.

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 saves the weak from those too strong for them? Who saves the poor from those who would rob them?”

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

People come telling lies. 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 pay me what is bad in return for what is good. My soul is sad.

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 when they were sick, I put on clothes made from hair. With no pride in my soul, I would not eat. And I prayed with my head on my chest.

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 if it were my friend or brother. I put my head down in sorrow, like one crying for 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 when I would fall, they would gather together in joy. Those who say things to hurt people would gather against me. I did not know them. They spoke against me without stopping.

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

They ground their teeth at me like bad people making fun of others at a special supper.

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? Save me from being destroyed by them. Save my 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 big meeting. I will praise You among many people.

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 hate me for no reason stand over me with joy. Do not let those who hate me for no reason wink their eye.

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

They do not speak peace. But they make up lies 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. ”

And they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “O, O, 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 quiet. 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.

Awake Yourself. Come and help me. Fight for me, my God and my Lord.

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

Say what is right or wrong with me, O Lord my God, because You are right and good. Do not let them have joy 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, “O, just what we wanted!” 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 all who are happy because of my trouble be ashamed and without honor. Let those who think they are better than I, be covered with shame and without honor.

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 call out for joy and be glad, who want to see the right thing done for me. Let them always say, “May the Lord be honored. He is pleased when all is going well for His servant.”

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

And my tongue will tell about how right and good You are, and about Your praise all day long.