³ Lord my God, if I have done this
    and there is guilt on my hands^(G)—
⁴ if I have repaid my ally with evil
    or without cause^(H) have robbed my foe—
⁵ then let my enemy pursue and overtake^(I) me;
    let him trample my life to the ground^(J)
    and make me sleep in the dust.^[c](K)

⁶ Arise,^(L) Lord, in your anger;
    rise up against the rage of my enemies.^(M)
    Awake,^(N) my God; decree justice.
⁷ Let the assembled peoples gather around you,
    while you sit enthroned over them on high.^(O)
8     Let the Lord judge^(P) the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,^(Q)
    according to my integrity,^(R) O Most High.^(S)
9 Bring to an end the violence of the wicked
    and make the righteous secure—^(T)
you, the righteous God^(U)
    who probes minds and hearts.^(V)

¹⁰ My shield^[d](W) is God Most High,
    who saves the upright in heart.^(X)
11 God is a righteous judge,^(Y)
    a God who displays his wrath^(Z) every day.
¹² If he does not relent,^(AA)
    he^[e] will sharpen his sword;^(AB)
    he will bend and string his bow.^(AC)
13 He has prepared his deadly weapons;
    he makes ready his flaming arrows.^(AD)

¹⁴ Whoever is pregnant with evil
    conceives trouble and gives birth^(AE) to disillusionment.
¹⁵ Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
    falls into the pit^(AF) they have made.^(AG)
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
    their violence comes down on their own heads.

¹⁷ I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;^(AH)
    I will sing the praises^(AI) of the name of the Lord Most High.^(AJ)

² In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,^(C)
    who are caught in the schemes he devises.
³ He boasts^(D) about the cravings of his heart;
    he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.^(E)
4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
    in all his thoughts there is no room for God.^(F)
5 His ways are always prosperous;
    your laws are rejected by^[b] him;
    he sneers at all his enemies.
⁶ He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.”
    He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”^(G)

⁷ His mouth is full^(H) of lies and threats;^(I)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.^(J)
8 He lies in wait^(K) near the villages;
    from ambush he murders the innocent.^(L)
His eyes watch in secret for his victims;
⁹     like a lion in cover he lies in wait.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless;^(M)
    he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.^(N)
10 His victims are crushed,^(O) they collapse;
    they fall under his strength.
¹¹ He says to himself, “God will never notice;^(P)
    he covers his face and never sees.”^(Q)

¹² Arise,^(R) Lord! Lift up your hand,^(S) O God.
    Do not forget the helpless.^(T)
13 Why does the wicked man revile God?^(U)
    Why does he say to himself,
    “He won’t call me to account”?^(V)
14 But you, God, see the trouble^(W) of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;^(X)
    you are the helper^(Y) of the fatherless.
¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man;^(Z)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

¹⁶ The Lord is King for ever and ever;^(AA)
    the nations^(AB) will perish from his land.
¹⁷ You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;^(AC)
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,^(AD)
18 defending the fatherless^(AE) and the oppressed,^(AF)
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror.