Psalms 109 - New International Version, 1984
Psalm 109
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
O God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
O God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
for wicked and deceitful men
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
they attack me without cause.
In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.
but I am a man of prayer.
They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship.
and hatred for my friendship.
Appoint an evil man to oppose him;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
and may his prayers condemn him.
May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
may another take his place of leadership.
May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
and his wife a widow.
May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
or take pity on his fatherless children.
May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
their names blotted out from the next generation.
May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
May their sins always remain before the Lord,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come on him;
he found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
may it come on him;
he found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
like a belt tied forever around him.
May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me.
to those who speak evil of me.
But you, O Sovereign Lord,
deal well with me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
deal well with me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
and my heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
my body is thin and gaunt.
I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
when they see me, they shake their heads.
Help me, O Lord my God;
save me in accordance with your love.
save me in accordance with your love.
Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, O Lord, have done it.
that you, O Lord, have done it.
They may curse, but you will bless;
when they attack they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice.
when they attack they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice.
My accusers will be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
in the great throng I will praise him.
in the great throng I will praise him.
For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save his life from those who condemn him.
to save his life from those who condemn him.