1Strive, O LORD, with those who strive against me;
fight against those who fight me. 2Grasp shield and buckler,
and rise up to help me. 3Uncover the spear and bar the way
against my pursuers.
Let me hear thee declare,
'I am your salvation.' 4Shame and disgrace be on those who seek my life;
and may those who plan to hurt me retreat in dismay! 5May they be like chaff before the wind,
driven by the angel of the LORD! 6Let their way be dark and slippery
as the angel of the LORD pursues them! 7For unprovoked they have hidden a net prob. rdg, transposing a pit from this line to follow have dug for me,
unprovoked they have dug a pit to trap me. 8May destruction unforeseen come on him;
may the net which he hid catch him;
may he crash headlong into it! 9Then I shall rejoice in the LORD
and delight in his salvation. 10My very bones cry out,
'LORD, who is like thee?—
thou saviour of the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and wretched from those who prey on them.' 11Malicious witnesses step forward;
they question me on matters of which I know nothing. 12They return me evil for good,
lying in wait lying in wait: prob. rdg, Heb bereavement to take my life. 13And yet when they were sick, I put on sackcloth,
I mortified myself with fasting.
When my prayer came back unanswered, 14I walked with head bowed in grief as if for a brother;
as one in sorrow for his mother I lay prostrate in mourning. 15But when I stumbled, they crowded round rejoicing,
they crowded about me;
nameless ruffians nameless ruffians: or ruffians who give me no rest jeered at me
and nothing would stop them. 16When I slipped, brutes who would mock even a hunchback
ground their teeth at me. 17O Lord, how long wilt thou look on Line transposed from v19at those who hate me for no reason?
Rescue me out of their cruel grasp,
save my precious life from the unbelievers. 18Then I will praise thee before a great assembly,
I will extol thee where many people meet. 19Let no treacherous enemy gloat over me
nor leer at me in triumph.See note on v17 20No friendly greeting do they give
to peaceable folk.
They invent lie upon lie, 21they open their mouths at me:
'Hurrah!' they shout in their joy,
feasting their eyes on me. 22Thou hast seen all this, O LORD, do not keep silence;
O Lord, be not far from me. 23Awake, bestir thyself, to do me justice,
to plead my cause, my Lord and my God. 24Judge me, O LORD my God, as thou art true;
do not let them gloat over me. 25Do not let them say to themselves, 'Hurrah!
We have swallowed him up at one gulp.' 26Let them all be disgraced and dismayed
who rejoice at my fall;
let them be covered with shame and dishonour
who glory over me. 27But let all who would see me righted shout for joy,
let them cry continually,
'All glory to the LORD
who would see his servant thrive!' 28So shall I talk of thy justice
and of thy praise all the day long.