English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

1Oppose my opponents, LORD; fight those who fight me.

2Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!

2Take your shields--large and small--and come to my aid.

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me: "I am your deliverance."

4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!

4Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed.

5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!

5Let them be like chaff in the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away.

6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!

6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

7They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause.

8Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!

8Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his ruin.

9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.

9Then I will rejoice in the LORD; I will delight in his deliverance.

10All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

10All my bones will say, "LORD, who is like you, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?"

11Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.

11Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know.

12They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.

12They repay me evil for good, making me desolate.

13But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.

13Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.

14I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.

14I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for a mother.

15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;

15But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me. Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop.

16like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

16With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me.

17How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!

17Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; rescue my precious life from the young lions.

18I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

18I will praise you in the great assembly; I will exalt you among many people.

19Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.

19Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink at me maliciously.

20For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.

20For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peacefully in the land.

21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

21They open their mouths wide against me and say, "Aha, aha! We saw it!"

22You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!

22You saw it, LORD; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me.

23Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!

23Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!

24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!

24Vindicate me, LORD my God, in keeping with your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.

25Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

25Do not let them say in their hearts, "Aha! Just what we wanted." Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"

26Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!

26Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.

27Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

27Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, "The LORD be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant's well-being."

28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

28And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.