Psalms 109

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.	1 [For the choirmaster Of David Psalm] God whom I praise, do not be silent!
2 O God, whom I praise, do not be silent, for wicked and treacherous mouths attack me. They speak against me with lying tongues;	2 Wicked and deceiving words are being said about me, false accusations are cast in my teeth.
3 with hateful words they surround me, attacking me without cause.	3 Words of hate fly al around me, though I give no cause for hostility.
4 In return for my love they slander me, even though I prayed for them.	4 In return for my friendship they denounce me, and al I can do is pray!
5 They repay me evil for good, hatred for my love. My enemies say of me:	5 They repay my kindness with evil, and friendship with hatred.
6 "Find a lying witness, an accuser to stand by his right hand,	6 'Set up a wicked man against him as accuser to stand on his right.
7 That he may be judged and found guilty, that his plea may be in vain.	7 At his trial may he emerge as guilty, even his prayer construed as a crime!
8 May his days be few; may another take his office.	8 'May his life be cut short, someone else take over his office,
9 May his children be fatherless, his wife, a widow.	9 his children be orphaned, his wife be widowed.
10 May his children be vagrant beggars, driven from their hovels.	10 'May his children wander perpetual y, beggars, driven from the ruins of their house,
11 May the usurer snare all he owns, strangers plunder all he earns.	11 a creditor seize al his goods, and strangers make off with his earnings.
12 May no one treat him kindly or pity his fatherless children.	12 'May there be none left faithful enough to show him love, no one take pity on his orphans,
13 May his posterity be destroyed, his name cease in the next generation.	13 the line of his descendants cut off, his name wiped out in one generation.
14 May the LORD remember his fathers' guilt; his mother's sin not be canceled.	14 'May Yahweh never forget the crimes of his ancestors, and his mother's sins not be wiped out;
15 May their guilt be always before the LORD, till their memory is banished from the earth,	15 may Yahweh keep these constantly in mind, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.'
16 For he did not remember to show kindness, but hounded the wretched poor and brought death to the brokenhearted.	16 He had no thought of being loyal, but hounded the poor and the needy and the broken-hearted totheir death.
17 He loved cursing; may it come upon him; he hated blessing; may none come to him.	17 He had a taste for cursing; let it recoil on him! No taste for blessing; let it never come his way!
18 May cursing clothe him like a robe; may it enter his belly like water, seep into his bones like oil.	18 Cursing has been the uniform he wore; let it soak into him like water, like oil right into his bones.
19 May it be near as the clothes he wears, as the belt always around him."	19 Let it be as a robe which envelops him completely, a sash which he always wears.
20 May the LORD bring all this upon my accusers, upon those who speak evil against me.	20 Let this be the salary Yahweh pays the accusers who blacken my name.
21 But you, LORD, my God, deal kindly with me for your name's sake; in your great mercy rescue me.	21 Yahweh, treat them as your name demands; as your faithful love is generous, deliver me.
22 For I am sorely in need; my heart is pierced within me.	22 Poor and needy as I am, my wounds go right to the heart;
23 Like a lengthening shadow I near my end, all but swept away like the locust.	23 I am passing away like a fading shadow, they have shaken me off like a locust.
24 My knees totter from fasting; my flesh has wasted away.	24 My knees are weak from lack of food, my body lean for lack of fat.
25 I have become a mockery to them; when they see me, they shake their heads.	25 I have become the butt of their taunts, they shake their heads at the sight of me.
26 Help me, LORD, my God; save me in your kindness.	26 Help me, Yahweh my God, save me as your faithful love demands.
27 Make them know this is your hand, that you, LORD, have acted.	27 Let them know that yours is the saving hand, that this, Yahweh, is your work.
28 Though they curse, may you bless; shame my foes, that your servant may rejoice.	28 Let them curse, provided that you bless; let their attacks bring shame to them and joy to yourservant!
29 Clothe my accusers with disgrace; make them wear shame like a mantle.	29 Let my accusers be clothed in disgrace, enveloped in a cloak of shame.
30 I will give fervent thanks to the LORD; before all I will praise my God.	30 With generous thanks to Yahweh on my lips, I shall praise him before all the people,
31 For God stands at the right hand of the poor to defend them against unjust accusers.	31 for he stands at the side of the poor, to save their lives from those who sit in judgement on them.