1 B y David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

2 T ake hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

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

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

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

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5 T hey are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

6 T heir way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

7 F or without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

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

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 A nd my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 A ll my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'

All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 V iolent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 T hey pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

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

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

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

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 A nd -- 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;

But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

16 W ith profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 L ord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

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

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

19 M ine enemies rejoice not over me falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

20 F or they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

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

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

22 T hou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord -- be not far from me,

This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 S tir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 J udge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.

Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

25 T hey do not say in their heart, `Aha, our desire.' They do not say, `We swallowed him up.'

Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

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

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

27 T hey sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

28 A nd my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.