Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

לְדָוִ֨ד׀ (Of David).

1רִיבָ֣ה (Contend) יְ֭הוָה (O YHWH), אֶת־ (with) יְרִיבַ֑י (my opponents);

לְ֝חַ֗ם (fight) אֶת־ (with) לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃ (those fighting me).

2  הַחֲזֵ֣ק (Take hold of) מָגֵ֣ן (shield) וְצִנָּ֑ה (and buckler),

וְ֝ק֗וּמָה (and rise) בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי׃ (in help of me),

3  וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק (and draw out) חֲנִ֣ית (the spear) וּ֭סְגֹר (and javelin) לִקְרַ֣את (against) רֹדְפָ֑י (those pursuing me).

אֱמֹ֥ר (Say) לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י (to my soul), יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ (Your salvation) אָֽנִי׃ (I am).

4  יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ (Let them be shamed) וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮ (and dishonored)

מְבַקְשֵׁ֪י (those seeking) נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י (my soul);

יִסֹּ֣גוּ (let them be turned) אָח֣וֹר (back) וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ (and confounded)

חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י (those planning) רָעָתִֽי׃ (evil for me).

5  יִֽהְי֗וּ (Let them be) כְּמֹ֥ץ (like chaff) לִפְנֵי־ (before) ר֑וּחַ (the wind),

וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ (and the angel) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH) דּוֹחֶֽה׃ (driving them away).

6  יְֽהִי־ (Let be) דַרְכָּ֗ם (their path) חֹ֥שֶׁךְ (darkness) וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת (and slickness),

וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ (and the angel) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (of YHWH) רֹדְפָֽם׃ (let pursue them).

7  כִּֽי־ (For) חִנָּ֣ם (without cause) טָֽמְנוּ־ (they have hidden) לִ֭י (for me) שַׁ֣חַת (a pit) רִשְׁתָּ֑ם (with their net);

חִ֝נָּ֗ם (without cause) חָפְר֥וּ (they dug) לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃ (for my soul).

8  תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ (Let come upon him) שׁוֹאָה֮ (destruction) לֹֽא־ (that not) יֵ֫דָ֥ע (he shall know),

וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ (and the net) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) טָמַ֣ן (he has hidden) תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ (let it catch him);

בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה (in the destruction) יִפָּל־ (let him fall) בָּֽהּ׃ (into it).

9  וְ֭נַפְשִׁי (And my soul) תָּגִ֣יל (will rejoice) בַּיהוָ֑ה (in YHWH);

תָּ֝שִׂישׂ (it will exult) בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ (in His salvation).

10  כָּ֥ל (All) עַצְמוֹתַ֨י׀ (my bones) תֹּאמַרְנָה֮ (will say),

יְהוָ֗ה (O YHWH), מִ֥י (who is) כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ (like You),

מַצִּ֣יל (snatching) עָ֭נִי (the afflicted) מֵחָזָ֣ק (from the one stronger) מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (than he),

וְעָנִ֥י (and the afflicted one) וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן (and the needy one) מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃ (from the one plundering him).

11  יְ֭קוּמוּן (Rise up) עֵדֵ֣י (witnesses) חָמָ֑ס (violent);

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (those whom) לֹא־ (not) יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי (do I know), יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי׃ (they interrogate me).

12  יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי (They complete for me) רָ֭עָה (evil) תַּ֥חַת (in place) טוֹבָ֗ה (of good),

שְׁכ֣וֹל (to the bereavement) לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃ (of my soul).

13  וַאֲנִ֤י׀ (And I)—

בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם (in their sickness) לְב֬וּשִׁי (my clothing is) שָׂ֗ק (sackcloth)—

עִנֵּ֣יתִי (I humbled) בַצּ֣וֹם (with fasting) נַפְשִׁ֑י (my soul);

וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י (and my prayer) עַל־ (upon) חֵיקִ֥י (my bosom) תָשֽׁוּב׃ (returned).

14  כְּרֵֽעַ־ (As for a friend)

כְּאָ֣ח (or brother) לִ֭י (to me)

הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי (I went about) כַּאֲבֶל־ (as one mourning)

אֵ֝֗ם (as for my mother). קֹדֵ֥ר (In grief), שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃ (I bowed down).

15  וּבְצַלְעִי֮ (And in my stumbling) שָׂמְח֪וּ (they were glad) וְֽנֶאֱ֫סָ֥פוּ (and gathered themselves together);

נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ (they gathered together) עָלַ֣י (against me) נֵ֭כִים (attackers),

וְלֹ֣א (and those whom not) יָדַ֑עְתִּי (I did know);

קָֽרְע֥וּ (they tore) וְלֹא־ (and not) דָֽמּוּ׃ (did cease).

16  בְּ֭חַנְפֵי (Like godless) לַעֲגֵ֣י (mockers) מָע֑וֹג (at a feast),

חָרֹ֖ק (they gnashed) עָלַ֣י (at me) שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ׃ (with their teeth).

17  אֲדֹנָי֮ (O Lord), כַּמָּ֪ה (how long) תִּ֫רְאֶ֥ה (will you look on)?

הָשִׁ֣יבָה (Turn back) נַ֭פְשִׁי (my soul) מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם (from their ravages),

מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים (from the young lions) יְחִידָתִֽי׃ (my only one).

18  א֭וֹדְךָ (I will give You thanks) בְּקָהָ֣ל (in the assembly) רָ֑ב (great);

בְּעַ֖ם (among a people) עָצ֣וּם (mighty) אֲהַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃ (I will praise You).

19  אַֽל־ (Not) יִשְׂמְחוּ־ (do let rejoice) לִ֣י (over me) אֹיְבַ֣י (my enemies) שֶׁ֑קֶר (in deception),

שֹׂנְאַ֥י (those hating me) חִ֝נָּ֗ם (for no reason) יִקְרְצוּ־ (wink) עָֽיִן׃ (the eye).

20  כִּ֤י (For) לֹ֥א (not) שָׁל֗וֹם (peace) יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ (they do speak),

וְעַ֥ל (and against) רִגְעֵי־ (the quiet) אֶ֑רֶץ (of the land);

דִּבְרֵ֥י (words) מִ֝רְמוֹת (of deceit) יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃ (they devise).

21  וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ (And they opened wide) עָלַ֗י (against me) פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם (their mouths);

אָ֭מְרוּ (they said), הֶאָ֣ח׀ (Aha), הֶאָ֑ח (aha)! רָאֲתָ֥ה (Have seen it) עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (our eyes)!

22  רָאִ֣יתָה (You have seen it), יְ֭הוָה (O YHWH), אַֽל־ (not) תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ (should You be silent).

אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י (O Lord), אֲל־ (not) תִּרְחַ֥ק (be far) מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (from me).

23  הָעִ֣ירָה (Rouse Yourself) וְ֭הָקִיצָה (and awaken) לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י (to my judgment),

אֱלֹהַ֖י (my God) וַֽאדֹנָ֣י (and my Lord). לְרִיבִֽי׃ (To my cause)!

24  שָׁפְטֵ֣נִי (Judge for me) כְ֭צִדְקְךָ (according to Your righteousness), יְהוָ֥ה (O YHWH) אֱלֹהָ֗י (my God),

וְאַל־ (and not) יִשְׂמְחוּ־ (do let them rejoice) לִֽי׃ (over me).

25  אַל־ (Do not) יֹאמְר֣וּ (let them say) בְ֭לִבָּם (in their heart),

הֶאָ֣ח (Aha), נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ (our desire)!

אַל־ (Do not) יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ (let them say),

בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ׃ (We have swallowed him up)!

26  יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ (Let them be put to shame) וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ׀ (and brought to confusion)

יַחְדָּו֮ (together)

שְׂמֵחֵ֪י (those being glad) רָעָ֫תִ֥י (at my distress);

יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־ (may they be clothed) בֹ֥שֶׁת (with shame) וּכְלִמָּ֑ה (and dishonor)

הַֽמַּגְדִּילִ֥ים (those magnifying themselves) עָלָֽי׃ (over me).

27  יָרֹ֣נּוּ (Let them shout for joy) וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮ (and be glad),

חֲפֵצֵ֪י (those desiring) צִ֫דְקִ֥י (my vindication),

וְיֹאמְר֣וּ (and let them say) תָ֭מִיד (continually), יִגְדַּ֣ל (Let be magnified) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH)

הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ (the One delighting) שְׁל֣וֹם (in the welfare) עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ (of His servant).

28  וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי (And my tongue) תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה (shall utter) צִדְקֶ֑ךָ (Your righteousness),

כָּל־ (all) הַ֝יּוֹם (the day) תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ (Your praise).