1 T o the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,

O God of my praise! Keep not silence,

2 F or the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, Against me they have opened, They have spoken with me -- A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!

For the mouths of the wicked and the mouth of deceit are opened against me; they have spoken to me and against me with lying tongues.

3 T hey have compassed me about, And they fight me without cause.

They have compassed me about also with words of hatred and have fought against me without a cause.

4 F or my love they oppose me, and I -- prayer!

In return for my love they are my adversaries, but I resort to prayer.

5 A nd they set against me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

And they have rewarded and laid upon me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 A ppoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.

Set a wicked man over him, and let accuser stand at his right hand.

7 I n his being judged, he goeth forth wicked, And his prayer is for sin.

When is judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be turned into a sin.

8 H is days are few, his oversight another taketh,

Let his days be few; and let another take his office and charge.

9 H is sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

10 A nd wander continually do his sons, Yea, they have begged, And have sought out of their dry places.

Let his children be continual vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread and be driven far from their ruined homes.

11 A n exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.

Let the creditor and extortioner seize all that he has; and let strangers (barbarians and foreigners) plunder the fruits of his labor.

12 H e hath none to extend kindness, Nor is there one showing favour to his orphans.

Let there be none to extend or continue mercy and kindness to him, neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.

13 H is posterity is for cutting off, In another generation is their name blotted out.

Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their names be blotted out.

14 T he iniquity of his fathers Is remembered unto Jehovah, And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 T hey are before Jehovah continually, And He cutteth off from earth their memorial.

Let them be before the Lord continually, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth!—

16 B ecause that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart -- to slay,

Because the man did not remember to show mercy, but pursued and persecuted the poor and needy man, and the broken in heart to slay.

17 A nd he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came upon him; he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.

18 A nd he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, and it seeped into his inward like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 I t is to him as apparel -- he covereth himself, And for a continual girdle he girdeth it on.

Let it be to him as the raiment with which he covers himself and as the girdle with which he is girded continually.

20 T his the wage of mine accusers from Jehovah, And of those speaking evil against my soul.

Let this be the reward of my adversaries from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my life.

21 A nd Thou, O Jehovah Lord, Deal with me for Thy name's sake, Because Thy kindness good, deliver me.

But You deal with me and act for me, O God the Lord, for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy and loving-kindness are good, O deliver me.

22 F or I poor and needy, And my heart hath been pierced in my midst.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded and stricken within me.

23 A s a shadow when it is stretched out I have gone, I have been driven away as a locust.

I am gone like the shadow when it lengthens and declines; I toss up and down and am shaken off as the locust.

24 M y knees have been feeble from fasting, And my flesh hath failed of fatness.

My knees are weak and totter from fasting; and my body is gaunt and has no fatness.

25 A nd I -- I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.

I have become also a reproach and a taunt to others; when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 H elp me, O Jehovah my God, Save me, according to Thy kindness.

Help me, O Lord my God; O save me according to Your mercy and loving-kindness!—

27 A nd they know that this Thy hand, Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast done it.

That they may know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it.

28 T hey revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.

Let them curse, but do You bless. When adversaries arise, let them be put to shame, but let Your servant rejoice.

29 M ine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe their shame.

Let my adversaries be clothed with shame and dishonor, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace and confusion as with a robe.

30 I thank Jehovah greatly with my mouth, And in the midst of many I praise Him,

I will give great praise and thanks to the Lord with my mouth; yes, and I will praise Him among the multitude.

31 F or He standeth at the right hand of the needy, To save from those judging his soul.

For He will stand at the right hand of the poor and needy, to save him from those who condemn his life.