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

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.

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

Take hold of buckler and shield And rise up for my help.

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

Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

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

Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

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

Let them be like chaff before the wind, With the angel of the Lord driving them on.

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

Let their way be dark and slippery, With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

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

For without cause they hid their net for me; Without cause they dug a pit 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 unawares, And let the net which he 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 rejoice in the Lord; It shall exult 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 will say, “ Lord, who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

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

Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know.

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

They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement 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 kept returning to my bosom.

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

I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a 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 at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing.

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

Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at 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 will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only life from the lions.

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

I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng.

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

Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.

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

For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

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

They opened their mouth wide against me; They said, “ Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

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

You have seen it, O Lord, do not keep silent; O Lord, do not be far from me.

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

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to 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 Your righteousness, And do not let them rejoice over me.

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

Do not let them say in their heart, “ Aha, our desire!” Do not let them 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 those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over 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 rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, “The Lord be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

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

And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.