Psalm 109
World English Bible
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
109 God of my praise, don’t remain silent,
2 for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.
They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
and fought against me without a cause.
4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries;
but I am in prayer.
5 They have rewarded me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Set a wicked man over him.
Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him come out guilty.
Let his prayer be turned into sin.
8 Let his days be few.
Let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless,
and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children be wandering beggars.
Let them be sought from their ruins.
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has.
Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
12 Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,
neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off.
In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh.
Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before Yahweh continually,
that he may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 because he didn’t remember to show kindness,
but persecuted the poor and needy man,
the broken in heart, to kill them.
17 Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.
He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.
18 He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.
It came into his inward parts like water,
like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,
for the belt that is always around him.
20 This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh,
of those who speak evil against my soul.
21 But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord,[a] for your name’s sake,
because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;
22 for I am poor and needy.
My heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow.
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting.
My body is thin and lacks fat.
25 I have also become a reproach to them.
When they see me, they shake their head.
26 Help me, Yahweh, my God.
Save me according to your loving kindness;
27 that they may know that this is your hand;
that you, Yahweh, have done it.
28 They may curse, but you bless.
When they arise, they will be shamed,
but your servant shall rejoice.
29 Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.
Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth.
Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.
31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,
to save him from those who judge his soul.
Footnotes
- 109:21 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
Psalm 109
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Psalm 109
Prayer for Vindication and Vengeance
To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
1 Do not be silent, O God of my praise.(A)
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They surround me with words of hate
and attack me without cause.(B)
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
even while I make prayer for them.[a](C)
5 So they reward me evil for good
and hatred for my love.(D)
6 They say,[b] “Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand on his right.(E)
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin.(F)
8 May his days be few;
may another seize his position.(G)
9 May his children be orphans
and his wife a widow.(H)
10 May his children wander about and beg;
may they be driven out of[c] the ruins they inhabit.
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.(I)
12 May there be no one to do him a kindness
nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.(J)
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation.(K)
14 May the iniquity of his father[d] be remembered before the Lord,
and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.(L)
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
and may his[e] memory be cut off from the earth.(M)
16 For he did not remember to show kindness
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted to their death.(N)
17 He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.(O)
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.(P)
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
like a belt that he wears every day.”
20 May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life.(Q)
21 But you, O Lord my Lord,
act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.(R)
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is pierced within me.(S)
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.(T)
24 My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt.(U)
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.(V)
26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.(W)
28 Let them curse, but you will bless.
Let my assailants be put to shame;[f] may your servant be glad.(X)
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.(Y)
30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.(Z)
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save them from those who would condemn them to death.(AA)
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