Psalm - The Old Testament

¹ [For the choirmaster Of David Psalm] God whom I praise, do not be silent!

² Wicked and deceiving words are being said about me, false accusations are cast in my teeth.

³ Words of hate fly all around me, though I give no cause for hostility.

⁴ In return for my friendship they denounce me, and all I can do is pray!

⁵ They repay my kindness with evil, and friendship with hatred.

⁶ 'Set up a wicked man against him as accuser to stand on his right.

⁷ At his trial may he emerge as guilty, even his prayer construed as a crime!

⁸ 'May his life be cut short, someone else take over his office,

⁹ his children be orphaned, his wife be widowed.

¹⁰ 'May his children wander perpetually, beggars, driven from the ruins of their house,

¹¹ a creditor seize all his goods, and strangers make off with his earnings.

¹² 'May there be none left faithful enough to show him love, no one take pity on his orphans,

¹³ the line of his descendants cut off, his name wiped out in one generation.

¹⁴ 'May Yahweh never forget the crimes of his ancestors, and his mother's sins not be wiped out;

¹⁵ may Yahweh keep these constantly in mind, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.'

¹⁶ He had no thought of being loyal, but hounded the poor and the needy and the broken-hearted to their death.

¹⁷ He had a taste for cursing; let it recoil on him! No taste for blessing; let it never come his way!

¹⁸ Cursing has been the uniform he wore; let it soak into him like water, like oil right into his bones.

¹⁹ Let it be as a robe which envelops him completely, a sash which he always wears.

²⁰ Let this be the salary Yahweh pays the accusers who blacken my name.

²¹ Yahweh, treat them as your name demands; as your faithful love is generous, deliver me.

²² Poor and needy as I am, my wounds go right to the heart;

²³ I am passing away like a fading shadow, they have shaken me off like a locust.

²⁴ My knees are weak from lack of food, my body lean for lack of fat.

²⁵ I have become the butt of their taunts, they shake their heads at the sight of me.

²⁶ Help me, Yahweh my God, save me as your faithful love demands.

²⁷ Let them know that yours is the saving hand, that this, Yahweh, is your work.

²⁸ Let them curse, provided that you bless; let their attacks bring shame to them and joy to your servant!

²⁹ Let my accusers be clothed in disgrace, enveloped in a cloak of shame.

³⁰ With generous thanks to Yahweh on my lips, I shall praise him before all the people,

³¹ for he stands at the side of the poor, to save their lives from those who sit in judgement on them.