Old Testament · Psalms

Psalms 109

The Song of the Slandered

1To the choirmaster. Of David, a psalm. O God of my praise, do not be silent.
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit they have opened against me; they have spoken with me with a tongue of falsehood.
3And with words of hatred they have surrounded me, and they fought against me without cause.
4In place of my love they accuse me, but I am prayer.
5And they have laid upon me evil in place of good, and hatred in place of my love.
6Appoint over him a wicked one, and let an adversary stand at his right hand.
7When he is judged, let him go out guilty, and let his prayer become sin.
8Let his days be few; his office let another take.
9Let his sons be orphans, and his wife^a a widow.
10And let his sons wander continually and beg, and let them seek out of their ruins.
11Let the creditor seize all that he has, and let strangers plunder his labor.
12Let there be none to him extending kindness, and none to be gracious to his orphans.
13Let his posterity be cut off; in another generation let their name be blotted out.
14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered to the LORD, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out.
15Let them be before the LORD continually, and let him cut off their memory from the earth.
16Because he did not remember to do kindness, but pursued the poor and needy man^b, and the broken of heart, to put to death.
17And he loved cursing, and it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, and it became far from him.
18And he clothed himself with cursing as his garment, and it came like water into his inward parts, and like oil into his bones.
19Let it be to him like a garment he wraps around himself, and like a belt he girds on continually.
20This is the wage of my accusers from the LORD, and of those who speak evil against my soul^c.
21But you, the LORD my Lord^d, deal with me for the sake of your name; because your lovingkindness is good, deliver me.
22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is pierced within me.
23Like a shadow when it stretches out I am gone; I am shaken off like the locust.
24My knees stumble from fasting, and my flesh^e has grown lean from fatness.
25And I, I have become a reproach to them; they see me, they shake their head.
26Help me, the LORD my God; save me^f according to your lovingkindness.
27And let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it.
28Let them curse, but you, you will bless; they have risen and been put to shame, but your servant rejoices.
29Let my accusers be clothed with disgrace, and let them wrap themselves in their shame like a robe.
30I will greatly give thanks to the LORD with my mouth, and in the midst of many I will praise him.
31For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.