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

I give praise to You, O God. Do not be quiet.

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 sinners and liars have opened their mouths against me. They have spoken against me with lying tongues.

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

They have gathered around me with words of hate. They fought against me for no reason.

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

I give them my love but they speak against me in return. But I am in prayer.

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

They pay me what is bad for what is good. They give me hate for my love.

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

Let a sinful man have power over him. Let one who speaks against him stand at his right hand.

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

When he is tried, let him be found guilty. And may his prayer become sin.

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

Let his days be few. Let another person take over his work.

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

Let his children be without a father. And let his wife be without a husband.

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

May his children go around begging. And may they look for food far from their destroyed homes.

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

Let the one to whom he owes money take all that he has. May strangers take away all he has worked for.

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

May no one show him kindness. Let no one pity his children who have no father.

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

Let his children be cut off. Do not let their family name be remembered by the people-to-come.

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

Let the sins of his fathers be remembered by the Lord, and do not let the sins of his mother be forgotten.

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

May these sins always be before the Lord. So He may not let them be remembered on 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 he did not remember to show loving-kindness. Instead he made it hard for the poor and those in need and those with a broken heart. He even put them to death.

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

He loved to curse others, so may it come to him. He did not like to have good come to others, so good 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 dressed himself with cursing as with a coat. They came into his body like water and into his bones like oil.

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

May they be like clothing that covers him and like a belt that he always wears.

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

Let this be what the Lord pays to those who speak against me and wish bad things would happen to me.

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

But You, O God, the Lord, be kind to me because of Your name. Take me out of trouble because Your loving-kindness is good.

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

For I am in trouble and in need. And my heart is hurt 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 passing like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

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

My knees are weak from going without food. And my body has lost all its fat.

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

Others laugh at me. They look at me and shake their heads.

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

Help me, O Lord my God! Save me by Your loving-kindness.

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

Let them know that this is Your hand and that You, O 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 hope that bad things will happen. But You make good things happen. Let them be ashamed when they rise up against me. But let Your servant be full of joy.

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

Let those who speak against me be dressed with shame. Let them cover themselves with shame as with a coat.

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

I will give thanks to the Lord in a loud voice. I will praise Him among many people.

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

For He stands at the right hand of the one in need to save him from those who judge his soul.