A Psalm of David.

¹ ¶ Plead my cause, O LORD, with those that strive with me; fight against those that fight against me.

² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up in my help.

³ Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against those that persecute me; say unto my soul; I am thy saving health.

⁴ Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul; let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

⁷ For without cause they have hid their net for me in a pit, which without cause they have dug for my soul.

⁸ Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall.

⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in his saving health.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, who delivers the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?

¹¹ ¶ False witnesses rose up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

¹² They rewarded me evil for good until my soul was alone.

¹³ But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer rose up in my bosom.

¹⁴ I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.

¹⁵ But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; yea, the smiters gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they tore me apart and did not cease:

¹⁶ With immature hypocritical mockers, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

¹⁷ ¶ Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Restore my soul from their destructions, my life from the lions.

¹⁸ I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among many people.

¹⁹ Let not those that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those that hate me wink with the eye without a cause.

²⁰ For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those that are meek in the land.

²¹ Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.

²² This thou hast seen, O LORD; do not keep silence; O Lord, do not be far from me.

²³ Stir up thyself and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

²⁴ Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it; let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

²⁶ Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

²⁷ Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous cause; let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the peace of his slave.

²⁸ And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.