Psalm 109

To the chief musician: a psalm of David. God of my praise, do not be silent! 2 For a wicked mouth and a mouth of deceit open against me; they speak a tongue of untruth with me, 3 and words of hatred surround me, and they attack me without cause. \* 4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I—prayer. 5 They put upon me evil in return for good, and hatred in return for my love. \* 6 Appoint a wicked one over him; and may an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, may he come out guilty; and may his prayer be as sin. \* 8 May his days be few; may another take his position. 9 May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. 10 And wandering, may his children wander and beg and seek from their desolations. \* 11 May a creditor snare all that {is} to him; may strangers plunder his work. 12 May there not be to him {one} extending covenant faithfulness; and may there not be {one} pitying his orphans. 13 May his posterity be to cut off; may their name be blotted out in the next generation. \* 14 May the sin of his fathers be remembered to God; and the offense of his mother not be blotted out. 15 May they be before God continually and may he cut off their remembrance from the earth, 16 because he never remembered to do covenant faithfulness, but pursued the humble man and the needy and the dejected in heart to death. \* 17 And he loved cursing, and it came to him, and he did not delight in blessing, and it was far from him. 18 And he put on cursing as his garment, and it entered into his inner being like water, and like oil into his bones. \* 19 May it be to him like the clothing he wears, and for the belt he always girds himself with it. 20 This, the payment of my accusers from God, and those speaking evil against my soul. \* 21 But you, God, my Lord, do with me on account of your name. Because your covenant faithfulness {is} good, rescue me! 22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart breaks within me. 23 Like a shadow when it lengthens I am made to go; I am shaken off like a locust. \* 24 My knees are weak from fasting and my flesh is gaunt from fatness. 25 And I, I am a disgrace to them; they see me; they shake their head. \* 26 Help me, God my God; save me according to your covenant faithfulness, 27 so that they know that this {is} your hand; you, God, you have done it. \* 28 They, they will curse, but you, you will bless; they arise, but then become ashamed, and your servant will rejoice. 29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe. \* 30 With my mouth I greatly thank God; and in the midst of many I will praise him. 31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save {him} from the judges of his soul. \*