1My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent,2for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.3With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.4In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.6Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand.7When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him.8May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.10May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven[1] from their ruined homes.11May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labour.12May no-one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.13May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.15May their sins always remain before the Lord, that he may blot out their name from the earth.16For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the broken-hearted.17He loved to pronounce a curse – may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing – may it be far from him.18He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.19May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied for ever round him.20May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.21But you, Sovereign Lord, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.23I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.24My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.25I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.26Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your unfailing love.27Let them know that it is your hand, that you, Lord, have done it.28While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.29May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.30With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshippers I will praise him.31For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
Psalm 109
English Standard Version
Help Me, O Lord My God
1To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Be not silent, O God of my praise! (De 10:21; Ps 28:1; Ps 71:6; Jer 17:14)2For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. (Ps 52:4)3They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. (Ps 69:4)4In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.[1] (Ps 38:20; Ps 69:13)5So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. (Ps 35:12)6Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. (1Ch 21:1; Job 30:12; Ps 35:4; Ps 69:22; Zec 3:1)7When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! (Pr 15:8; Pr 21:27; Pr 28:9)8May his days be few; may another take his office! (Nu 4:16; 1Ch 24:3; Ps 55:23; Ac 1:20)9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! (Ex 22:24)10May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! (Ge 4:12; Ps 37:25; Ps 59:15)11May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! (De 28:43)12Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children! (Job 5:4; Ps 36:10)13May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation! (Ps 21:10; Pr 10:7)14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! (Ex 20:5; Ne 4:5; Jer 18:23)15Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth! (Ps 34:16; Ps 90:8)16For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. (Ps 34:18; Ps 40:17; Ps 109:22)17He loved to curse; let curses come[2] upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far[3] from him! (Pr 14:14; Eze 35:6)18He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak[4] into his body like water, like oil into his bones! (Nu 5:22; Ps 73:6; Ps 109:29)19May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!20May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life! (Ps 109:6; Ps 109:29)21But you, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me! (Ps 23:3; Ps 63:3; Ps 69:16; Jer 14:7)22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. (Ps 109:16)23I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. (Ex 10:19; Ne 5:13; Job 38:13; Ps 102:11)24My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. (Job 16:8; Ps 35:13)25I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads. (Ps 22:6; Ps 22:7; Ps 69:19)26Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love! (Ps 119:86)27Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it! (Job 37:7)28Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad! (2Sa 16:12; Isa 65:14)29May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak! (Job 8:22; Ps 35:26; Ps 71:13; Ps 109:18)30With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. (Ps 22:25)31For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death. (Ps 16:8; Ps 109:6)