For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1O God of my praise,
         Do not be silent!

2For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me;
         They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
         And fought against me without cause.

4In return for my love they act as my accusers;
         But I am in prayer.

5Thus they have repaid me evil for good
         And hatred for my love.

6Appoint a wicked man over him,
         And let an accuser stand at his right hand.

7When he is judged, let him come forth guilty,
         And let his prayer become sin.

8Let his days be few;
         Let another take his office.

9Let his children be fatherless
         And his wife a widow.

10Let his children wander about and beg;
         And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes.

11Let the creditor seize all that he has,
         And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.

12Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him,
         Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children.

13Let his posterity be cut off;
         In a following generation let their name be blotted out.

14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
         And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15Let them be before the LORD continually,
         That He may cut off their memory from the earth;

16Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness,
         But persecuted the afflicted and needy man,
         And the despondent in heart, to put them to death.

17He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
         And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.

18But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
         And it entered into his body like water
         And like oil into his bones.

19Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,
         And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.

20Let this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
         And of those who speak evil against my soul.

21But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;
         Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;

22For I am afflicted and needy,
         And my heart is wounded within me.

23I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;
         I am shaken off like the locust.

24My knees are weak from fasting,
         And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.

25I also have become a reproach to them;
         When they see me, they wag their head.

26Help me, O LORD my God;
         Save me according to Your lovingkindness.

27And let them know that this is Your hand;
         You, LORD, have done it.

28Let them curse, but You bless;
         When they arise, they shall be ashamed,
         But Your servant shall be glad.

29Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor,
         And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

30With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD;
         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.

NASB ©1995