Psalm 109
Prayer against an Enemy
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 God of my praise, do not be silent. k
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;
they speak against me with lying tongues. l
3 They surround me with hateful words
and attack me without cause. m
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my love. o
6 Set a wicked person over him;
let an accuser Q stand at his right hand. p
7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
and let his prayer be counted as sin. q
let another take over his position. r
9 Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow. s
10 Let his children wander as beggars,
searching for food far R from their demolished homes. t
11 Let a creditor seize all he has;
let strangers plunder what he has worked for. u
12 Let no one show him kindness,
and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children. v
13 Let the line of his descendants be cut off;
let their name be blotted out in the next generation. w
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers
be remembered before the LORD, x
and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out. y
15 Let their sins S always remain before the LORD,
and let him remove T all memory of them from the earth. z
16 For he did not think to show kindness,
but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted
in order to put them to death. a
17 He loved cursing—let it fall on him;
he took no delight in blessing—let it be far from him. b
18 He wore cursing like his coat—
let it enter his body like water
and go into his bones like oil. c
19 Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,
like a belt he always wears. d
20 Let this be the LORD’S payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil against me. e
21 But you, LORD, my Lord,
deal kindly with me for your name’s sake; f
because your faithful love is good, rescue me. g
22 For I am suffering and needy; h
my heart is wounded within me. i
23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow; j
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers; V
when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn. l
save me according to your faithful love m
27 so they may know that this is your hand
and that you, LORD, have done it. n
28 Though they curse, you will bless.
When they rise up, they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice. o
29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;
they will wear their shame like a cloak. p
30 I will fervently thank the LORD with my mouth;
I will praise him in the presence of many. q
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy
to save him from those who would condemn him. r