Prayer against an Enemy
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 God of my praise, do not be silent. 109:1 Ps 28:1; 83:1
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;
they speak against me with lying tongues. 109:2 Ps 10:7; 52:4; 120:2
3 They surround me with hateful words
and attack me without cause. 109:3 Ps 35:7; 69:4; Jn 15:25
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
but I continue to pray. 109:4 Lit but I, prayer, 109:4 Ps 69:13
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my love. 109:5 Ps 35:12; 38:20
6 Set a wicked person over him;
let an accuser 109:6 Or adversary stand at his right hand. 109:6 Zch 3:1
7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
and let his prayer be counted as sin. 109:7 Ps 1:5; Pr 28:9
8 Let his days be few;
let another take over his position. 109:8 Ps 55:23; Ac 1:20
9 Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow. 109:9 Ex 22:24
10 Let his children wander as beggars,
searching for food far 109:10 LXX reads beggars, driven far from their demolished homes. 109:10 Jb 30:5–8; Ps 59:15
11 Let a creditor seize all he has;
let strangers plunder what he has worked for. 109:11 Dt 28:43–44; Lm 5:2
12 Let no one show him kindness,
and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children. 109:12 Jb 5:4
13 Let the line of his descendants be cut off;
let their name be blotted out in the next generation. 109:13 Jb 18:17,19; Ps 9:5; Pr 10:7
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers
be remembered before the Lord, 109:14 Ex 20:5; Nm 14:18
and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out. 109:14 Neh 4:5; Jr 18:23
15 Let their sins 109:15 Lit Let them always remain before the Lord,
and let him remove 109:15 Or cut off all memory of them from the earth. 109:15 Ps 34:16; 90:8; Jr 16:17
16 For he did not think to show kindness,
but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted
in order to put them to death. 109:16 Ps 34:18; 94:6
17 He loved cursing — let it fall on him;
he took no delight in blessing — let it be far from him. 109:17 Pr 14:14; Ezk 35:6; Mt 7:2
18 He wore cursing like his coat —
let it enter his body like water
and go into his bones like oil. 109:18 Nm 5:22
19 Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,
like a belt he always wears. 109:19 Ps 73:26
20 Let this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil against me. 109:20 Ps 54:5; 94:23; Is 3:11
21 But you, Lord, my Lord,
deal kindly with me for your name’s sake; 109:21 Ps 79:9; 106:8
because your faithful love is good, rescue me. 109:21 Ps 69:16
22 For I am suffering and needy; 109:22 Ps 40:17; 86:1
my heart is wounded within me. 109:22 Ps 143:4
23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow; 109:23 Ps 102:11
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
and my body is emaciated. 109:24 Lit denied from fat, 109:24 Jb 16:8; Ps 35:13
25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers; 109:25 Lit to them
when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn. 109:25 Ps 22:6–7; 69:19
26 Help me, Lord my God;
save me according to your faithful love 109:26 Ps 119:86
27 so they may know that this is your hand
and that you, Lord, have done it. 109:27 Jb 37:7
28 Though they curse, you will bless.
When they rise up, they will be put to shame,
but your servant will rejoice. 109:28 2Sm 16:11–12; Is 65:14
29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;
they will wear their shame like a cloak. 109:29 Jb 8:22; Ps 35:26; 132:18
30 I will fervently thank the Lord with my mouth;
I will praise him in the presence of many. 109:30 Ps 22:22,25; 35:18; 111:1
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy
to save him from those who would condemn him. 109:31 Ps 16:8; 110:5; 121:5