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 By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

3 And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, `Thy salvation I [am].`

4 They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

5 They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

6 Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

7 For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.

8 Meet him doth desolation -- he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.

9 And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.

10 All my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.`

11 Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

12 They pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,

13 And I -- in their sickness my clothing [is] sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.

14 As [if] a friend, as [if] my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.

15 And -- in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;

16 With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

17 Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

18 I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.

19 Mine enemies rejoice not over me [with] falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

20 For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

21 And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, `Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.`

22 Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord -- be not far from me,

23 Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

24 Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.

25 They do not say in their heart, `Aha, our desire.` They do not say, `We swallowed him up.`

26 They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.

27 They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.`

28 And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!