¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked man;^(A)
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

⁶ In my distress^(A) I called to the Lord;^(B)
    I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;^(C)
    my cry came^(D) before him, into his ears.
⁷ The earth trembled^(E) and quaked,^(F)
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;^(G)
    they trembled because he was angry.^(H)
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;^(I)
    consuming fire^(J) came from his mouth,
    burning coals^(K) blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;^(L)
    dark clouds^(M) were under his feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim^(N) and flew;
    he soared^(O) on the wings of the wind.^(P)
11 He made darkness his covering,^(Q) his canopy^(R) around him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of his presence^(S) clouds advanced,
    with hailstones^(T) and bolts of lightning.^(U)
13 The Lord thundered^(V) from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.^[a]
14 He shot his arrows^(W) and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning^(X) he routed them.^(Y)
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations^(Z) of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke,^(AA) Lord,
    at the blast of breath from your nostrils.^(AB)

¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame,^(A) Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent^(B) in the realm of the dead.

⁴ May those who seek my life^(I)
    be disgraced^(J) and put to shame;^(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back^(L) in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff^(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord^(N) driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net^(O) for me without cause^(P)
    and without cause dug a pit^(Q) for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—^(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,^(S) to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice^(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.^(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,^(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong^(W) for them,
    the poor and needy^(X) from those who rob them.”

¹¹ Ruthless witnesses^(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good^(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth^(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.^(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning^(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;^(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered^(AE) me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b](AF)
    they gnashed their teeth^(AG) at me.

¹⁷ How long,^(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life^(AI) from these lions.^(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;^(AK)
    among the throngs^(AL) I will praise you.^(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies^(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason^(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.^(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations^(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer^(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!^(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

²² Lord, you have seen^(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far^(AU) from me, Lord.
²³ Awake,^(AV) and rise^(AW) to my defense!
    Contend^(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat^(AY) over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha,^(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”^(BA)

²⁶ May all who gloat^(BB) over my distress^(BC)
    be put to shame^(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me^(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication^(BF)
    shout for joy^(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights^(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”^(BI)

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,^(BJ)
    your praises all day long.^(BK)

⁵ Let evil recoil^(A) on those who slander me;
    in your faithfulness^(B) destroy them.

⁵ All day long they twist my words;^(A)
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶ They conspire,^(B) they lurk,
    they watch my steps,^(C)
    hoping to take my life.^(D)
7 Because of their wickedness do not^[a] let them escape;^(E)
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.^(F)

⁶ Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;^(A)
    Lord, tear out the fangs of those lions!^(B)
7 Let them vanish like water that flows away;^(C)
    when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.^(D)
8 May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,^(E)
    like a stillborn child^(F) that never sees the sun.

¹⁹ You know how I am scorned,^(A) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
²⁰ Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,^(B) but I found none.^(C)
21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar^(D) for my thirst.^(E)

²² May the table set before them become a snare;
    may it become retribution and^[a] a trap.^(F)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.^(G)
24 Pour out your wrath^(H) on them;
    let your fierce anger overtake them.
²⁵ May their place be deserted;^(I)
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents.^(J)
26 For they persecute those you wound
    and talk about the pain of those you hurt.^(K)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;^(L)
    do not let them share in your salvation.^(M)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life^(N)
    and not be listed with the righteous.^(O)