¹ O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
    Fight those who fight against me.
² Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
    Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.
³ Lift up your spear and javelin
    against those who pursue me.
Let me hear you say,
    “I will give you victory!”
⁴ Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
    turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.
⁵ Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
    a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.
⁶ Make their path dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
⁷ I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
⁸ So let sudden ruin come upon them!
    Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!
    Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

⁹ Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
    I will be glad because he rescues me.
¹⁰ With every bone in my body I will praise him:
    “Lord, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
    Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

¹¹ Malicious witnesses testify against me.
    They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good.
    I am sick with despair.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.
    I denied myself by fasting for them,
    but my prayers returned unanswered.
¹⁴ I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,
    as if I were grieving for my own mother.
¹⁵ But they are glad now that I am in trouble;
    they gleefully join together against me.
I am attacked by people I don’t even know;
    they slander me constantly.
¹⁶ They mock me and call me names;
    they snarl at me.

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?
    Rescue me from their fierce attacks.
    Protect my life from these lions!
¹⁸ Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.
    I will praise you before all the people.
¹⁹ Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
    Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.
²⁰ They don’t talk of peace;
    they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.
²¹ They shout, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

²² O Lord, you know all about this.
    Do not stay silent.
    Do not abandon me now, O Lord.
²³ Wake up! Rise to my defense!
    Take up my case, my God and my Lord.
²⁴ Declare me not guilty, O Lord my God, for you give justice.
    Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.
²⁵ Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!
    Now we will eat him alive!”

²⁶ May those who rejoice at my troubles
    be humiliated and disgraced.
May those who triumph over me
    be covered with shame and dishonor.
²⁷ But give great joy to those who came to my defense.
    Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord,
    who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”
²⁸ Then I will proclaim your justice,
    and I will praise you all day long.

⁴ My father taught me,
“Take my words to heart.
    Follow my commands, and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom; develop good judgment.
    Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
    Love her, and she will guard you.
⁷ Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
    And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
⁸ If you prize wisdom, she will make you great.
    Embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will place a lovely wreath on your head;
    she will present you with a beautiful crown.”

¹⁰ My child,^[b] listen to me and do as I say,
    and you will have a long, good life.
¹¹ I will teach you wisdom’s ways
    and lead you in straight paths.
¹² When you walk, you won’t be held back;
    when you run, you won’t stumble.
¹³ Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
    Guard them, for they are the key to life.

¹⁴ Don’t do as the wicked do,
    and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
¹⁵ Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.
    Turn away and keep moving.
¹⁶ For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day.
    They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the food of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence!

¹⁸ The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
    which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.
    They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

²⁰ My child, pay attention to what I say.
    Listen carefully to my words.
²¹ Don’t lose sight of them.
    Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
²² for they bring life to those who find them,
    and healing to their whole body.

²³ Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life.

²⁴ Avoid all perverse talk;
    stay away from corrupt speech.

²⁵ Look straight ahead,
    and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
²⁶ Mark out a straight path for your feet;
    stay on the safe path.
²⁷ Don’t get sidetracked;
    keep your feet from following evil.