¹ O God, whom I praise,
    don’t stand silent and aloof
² while the wicked slander me
    and tell lies about me.
³ They surround me with hateful words
    and fight against me for no reason.
⁴ I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
    even as I am praying for them!
⁵ They repay evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.

⁶ They say,^[a] “Get an evil person to turn against him.
    Send an accuser to bring him to trial.
⁷ When his case comes up for judgment,
    let him be pronounced guilty.
    Count his prayers as sins.
⁸ Let his years be few;
    let someone else take his position.
⁹ May his children become fatherless,
    and his wife a widow.
¹⁰ May his children wander as beggars
    and be driven from^[b] their ruined homes.
¹¹ May creditors seize his entire estate,
    and strangers take all he has earned.
¹² Let no one be kind to him;
    let no one pity his fatherless children.
¹³ May all his offspring die.
    May his family name be blotted out in the next generation.
¹⁴ May the Lord never forget the sins of his fathers;
    may his mother’s sins never be erased from the record.
¹⁵ May the Lord always remember these sins,
    and may his name disappear from human memory.
¹⁶ For he refused all kindness to others;
    he persecuted the poor and needy,
    and he hounded the brokenhearted to death.
¹⁷ He loved to curse others;
    now you curse him.
He never blessed others;
    now don’t you bless him.
¹⁸ Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing,
    or the water he drinks,
    or the rich food he eats.
¹⁹ Now may his curses return and cling to him like clothing;
    may they be tied around him like a belt.”

²⁰ May those curses become the Lord’s punishment
    for my accusers who speak evil of me.
²¹ But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord,
    for the sake of your own reputation!
Rescue me
    because you are so faithful and good.
²² For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is full of pain.
²³ I am fading like a shadow at dusk;
    I am brushed off like a locust.
²⁴ My knees are weak from fasting,
    and I am skin and bones.
²⁵ I am a joke to people everywhere;
    when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God!
    Save me because of your unfailing love.
²⁷ Let them see that this is your doing,
    that you yourself have done it, Lord.
²⁸ Then let them curse me if they like,
    but you will bless me!
When they attack me, they will be disgraced!
    But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!
²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with disgrace;
    may their humiliation cover them like a cloak.
³⁰ But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord,
    praising him to everyone.
³¹ For he stands beside the needy,
    ready to save them from those who condemn them.