1 Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.

Fight against those who fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler,

and stand up for my help.

3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.

Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."

4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.

Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind,

Yahweh’s angel driving them on.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery,

Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.

7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.

Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

8 Let destruction come on him unawares.

Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.

Let him fall into that destruction.

9 My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.

It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, "Yahweh, who is like you,

who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him;

yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up.

They ask me about things that I don’t know about.

12 They reward me evil for good,

to the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.

I afflicted my soul with fasting.

My prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.

I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.

The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it.

They tore at me, and didn’t cease.

16 Like the profane mockers in feasts,

they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 Lord, how long will you look on?

Rescue my soul from their destruction,

my precious life from the lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly.

I will praise you among many people.

19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;

neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.

20 For they don’t speak peace,

but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.

They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!"

22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.

Lord, don’t be far from me.

23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!

My Lord, contend for me!

24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness.

Don’t let them gloat over me.

25 Don’t let them say in their heart, "Aha! That’s the way we want it!"

Don’t let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"

26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

27 Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad.

Yes, let them say continually, "May Yahweh be magnified,

who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!"

28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

1 'n Psalm van Dawid. HERE, twis met die wat met my twis; bestry die wat my bestry!

2 Gryp die klein skild en die grote, en staan op as my hulp!

3 En trek die spies uit en stuit my vervolgers! Spreek tot my siel: Ek is jou heil!

4 Laat hulle wat my lewe soek, beskaamd staan en in die skande kom; laat hulle wat my ongeluk beraam, agteruitwyk en rooi van skaamte word!

5 Laat hulle word soos kaf voor die wind, terwyl die Engel van die HERE hulle wegstoot.

6 Laat hulle weg duister en glibberig wees, terwyl die Engel van die HERE hulle vervolg!

7 Want hulle het sonder oorsaak die kuil met hul net vir my verberg, hulle het sonder oorsaak gegrawe teen my lewe.

8 Laat verwoesting oor hom kom sonder dat hy dit weet, en laat sy net hom vang wat hy gespan het; laat hom daarin val met verwoesting!

9 Maar my siel sal juig in die HERE, dit sal bly wees in sy heil.

10 Al my beendere sal sê: HERE, wie is soos U? U wat die ellendige red van die wat sterker is as hy; ja, die ellendige en behoeftige van sy berower!

11 Kwaadwillige getuies staan op; wat ek nie weet nie, vra hulle vir my.

12 Hulle vergeld my kwaad vir goed: verlatenheid vir my siel.

13 En ek -- toe hulle siek was, het ek 'n roukleed gedra; ek het my siel gekwel met vas, en my gebed het teruggekeer in my boesem.

14 Ek het rondgegaan asof dit 'n vriend, asof dit 'n broer van my was; ek het gebuk gegaan in die rou soos een wat oor sy moeder treur.

15 Maar as ek struikel, is hulle bly en kom bymekaar; hulle vergader teen my, lae mense en die wat ek nie ken nie; hulle laster sonder ophou.

16 Onder die roekeloosste tafelspotters kners hulle met hul tande teen my.

17 Here, hoe lank sal U dit aansien? Bring my siel terug van hulle verwoestinge, my enigste van die jong leeus af.

18 Ek sal U loof in 'n groot vergadering; onder 'n groot skare sal ek U prys.

19 Laat hulle oor my nie bly wees wat sonder grond my vyande is nie; laat die wat my sonder oorsaak haat, nie met die oë knip nie!

20 Want hulle spreek nie van vrede nie, maar hulle bedink bedrieglike woorde teen die stilles in die land.

21 En hulle maak hul mond wyd oop teen my, hulle sê: Ha, ha, ons oog het dit gesien!

22 HERE, U het dit gesien, swyg nie. Here, wees nie ver van my af nie!

23 Ontwaak en word wakker vir my reg; my God en Here, vir my regsaak.

24 Doen aan my reg na u geregtigheid, HERE my God, en laat hulle oor my nie bly wees nie!

25 Laat hulle in hul hart nie sê: Ha, ons begeerte! Laat hulle nie sê: Ons het hom verslind nie!

26 Laat hulle wat bly is oor my ongeluk, beskaamd staan en saam rooi van skaamte word; laat hulle wat hul teen my groot maak, met skaamte en skande beklee word!

27 Laat hulle jubel en bly wees wat 'n behae het in my geregtigheid; en laat hulle altyddeur sê: Groot is die HERE wat 'n welbehae het in die vrede van sy kneg!

28 En my tong sal u geregtigheid prys, u lof die hele dag deur.