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

By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

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

Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

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

And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, `Thy salvation I.'

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.

They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

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

They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

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

Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

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 netpit, Without cause they digged 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.

Meet him doth desolation -- he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.

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

And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth 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 say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'

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

Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

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

They pay me evil for good, bereaving 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.

And I -- in their sickness my clothing sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.

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

As a friend, as my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.

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;

And -- in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;

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

With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me 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 dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

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

I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.

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.

Mine enemies rejoice not over me falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

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

For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

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

And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, `Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'

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

Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, 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.

Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

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

Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do 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.”

They do not say in their heart, `Aha, our desire.' They do not say, `We 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.

They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against 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.”

They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'

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

And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!