Psalms 109

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