Psalm 109:1-13

Contemporary English Version

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

A Prayer for the Lord's Help

¹I praise you, God!
    Don't keep silent.
²Destructive and deceitful lies
    are told about me,
³and hateful things are said
    for no reason.
⁴I had pity and prayed^[a]
    for my enemies,
but their words to me
    were harsh and cruel.
⁵For being friendly and kind,
they paid me back
    with meanness and hatred.

⁶My enemies said,
“Find some worthless fools
    to accuse him of a crime.
⁷Try him and find him guilty!
    Consider his prayers a lie.
⁸^(A) Cut his life short
and let someone else
    have his job.
⁹Make orphans of his children
    and a widow of his wife;
¹⁰make his children beg for food
    and live in the slums.

¹¹“Let the people he owes
take everything he owns.
    Give it all to strangers.
¹²Don't let anyone be kind to him
or have pity on the children
    he leaves behind.
¹³Bring an end to his family,
and from now on let him be
    a forgotten man.