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Psalm 109

Deceitful Men Have Opened Their Mouths

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For the choir director. By David. A psalm.

The Problem and the Prayer

O God whom I praise, do not be silent,
because they have opened wicked, deceitful mouths against me.
They have spoken against me with lying tongues.
They surround me with hateful words.
They attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.[a]
They repay me with evil for good,
with hatred for my love.

The Curse

Appoint an evil one to testify against him,
and let an accuser[b] stand at his right hand.
When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and let his prayer be sin.
Let his days be few.
Let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children always wander and beg.
Let them seek food far from their ruined homes.[c]
11 Let a creditor confiscate all he has.
Let strangers plunder everything he worked for.
12 Let there be no one to extend mercy to him.
Let there be no one to show favor to his fatherless children.
13 Let his descendants be cut off.
In the next generation let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the guilt of his fathers be remembered before the Lord.
Let the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 Let their sins remain before the Lord continually,
and let the memory of these people be cut off from the earth.

16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
but he pursued the poor man and the needy
    and the brokenhearted to put them to death.
17 Since he loved cursing, so let it fall on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18 Since he wore cursing as his clothing,
let it enter into his stomach like water
and into his bones like oil.
19 Let it be like a garment wrapped around him,
like a belt tied around him forever.
20 May the Lord do all this to my accusers
and to those who speak evil against my life.

Prayer for Help

21 But you, Lord God, deal with me for the sake of your name.
Because of the goodness of your mercy, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded[d] within me.
23 Like a shadow after it lengthens, I go away.
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give way from fasting,
and my flesh has become lean, without fat.
25 But I—I am scorned by them.
They see me. They shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God.
Save me according to your mercy.
27 Let them know that this is your hand.
You, O Lord, have done it.
28 They may curse, but you will bless.
They rose up, but they will be put to shame.
Then your servant will rejoice.
29 My accusers will be dressed with disgrace.
Their shame will wrap around them like a robe.

Closing Praise

30 With my mouth I will keep on thanking the Lord.
In the midst of many people I will praise him.
31 For the Lord stands at the right hand of the needy,
    to save his life from those who condemn him.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 109:4 Literally I am prayer
  2. Psalm 109:6 The Hebrew noun is satan, which becomes the name of Satan.
  3. Psalm 109:10 The Greek reads may they be driven from their ruined homes.
  4. Psalm 109:22 The meaning of this verb is uncertain. It may mean flutter or beat wildly.