14 (A)Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And let not the sin of his mother (B)be blotted out.
15 Let them be continually before the Lord,
That He may (C)cut off the memory of them from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the (D)broken in heart.
17 (E)As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;
As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
So let it (F)enter his body like water,
And like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,
And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.
20 Let this be the Lord’s reward to my accusers,
And to those who speak evil against my person.

21 But You, O God the Lord,
Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am gone (G)like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My (H)knees are weak through fasting,
And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25 I also have become (I)a reproach to them;
When they look at me, (J)they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 (K)That they may know that this is Your hand—
That You, Lord, have done it!
28 (L)Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, let them be ashamed,
But let (M)Your servant rejoice.
29 (N)Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;
Yes, (O)I will praise Him among the multitude.
31 For (P)He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
To save him from those [a]who condemn him.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 109:31 Lit. judging his soul

14 May the iniquity of his fathers(A) be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before(B) the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name(C) from the earth.

16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
    but hounded to death the poor
    and the needy(D) and the brokenhearted.(E)
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
    may it come back on him.(F)
He found no pleasure in blessing—
    may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing(G) as his garment;
    it entered into his body like water,(H)
    into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped(I) about him,
    like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment(J) to my accusers,
    to those who speak evil(K) of me.

21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake;(L)
    out of the goodness of your love,(M) deliver me.(N)
22 For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;(O)
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give(P) way from fasting;(Q)
    my body is thin and gaunt.(R)
25 I am an object of scorn(S) to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.(T)

26 Help me,(U) Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know(V) that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse,(W) may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice.(X)
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame(Y) as in a cloak.

30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
    in the great throng(Z) of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand(AA) of the needy,
    to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

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