109:1 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent,

109:2 for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

109:3 With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.

109:4 In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

109:5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.

109:6 Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

109:7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him.

109:8 May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

109:9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

109:10 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.

109:11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

109:12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.

109:13 May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.

109:14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

109:15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

109:16 For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.

109:17 He loved to pronounce a curse--may it come on him; he found no pleasure in blessing--may it be far from him.

109:18 He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.

109:19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.

109:20 May this be the LORD'S payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.

109:21 But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

109:23 I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.

109:24 My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.

109:25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.

109:27 Let them know that it is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.

109:28 They may curse, but you will bless; when they attack they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.

109:29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

109:30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; in the great throng I will praise him.

109:31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.