Psalms 109
109
A Prayer Against an Enemy
For the director of music. A song of David.
1God, I praise you.
Do not be silent.
2Wicked people and liars have spoken against me.
They have told lies about me.
3They have said hateful things about me.
They attack me for no reason.
4They attacked me, even though I loved them
and prayed for them.
5I was good to them, but they repay me with evil.
I loved them, but they hate me in return.
6They say about me, “Have the Evil One work against him.
Let the devil accuse him.
7When he is judged, let him be found guilty.
Let even his prayers show that he is guilty.
8Let his life be cut short.
Let another man replace him as leader.
9Let his children become orphans.
Let his wife become a widow.
10Make his children wander around, begging for food.
Let them be forced out of the ruins they live in.
11Let the people he owes money to take everything he owns.
Let strangers steal everything he has worked for.
12Let no one show him love.
Let no one have mercy on his children.
13Let all his descendants die.
Let him be forgotten by people who live after him.
14Let the Lord remember how wicked his ancestors were.
Don’t let the sins of his mother be wiped out.
15Let the Lord always remember their sins.
Then he will make people forget about them completely.
16“He did not remember to be loving.
He hurt the poor, the needy and those who were sad
until they were nearly dead.
17He loved to put curses on others.
So let those same curses fall on him.
He did not like to bless others.
So do not let good things happen to him.
18He cursed others as often as he wore clothes.
Cursing others filled his body and his life,
like drinking water and using olive oil.
19So let curses cover him like clothes.
Let them wrap around him like a belt.”
20May the Lord do these things to those who accuse me,
to those who speak evil against me.
21But you, Lord God,
be kind to me so others will know you are good.
Because your love is good, save me.
22I am poor and helpless.
And I am very sad.
23I am dying like an evening shadow.
I am shaken off like a locust.
24My knees are weak from hunger.
I have become thin.
25My enemies insult me.
They look at me and shake their heads.
26Lord my God, help me.
Because you are loving, save me.
27Then they will know that you have saved me.
They will know it was your power, Lord.
28They may curse me, but you bless me.
They may attack me, but they will be disgraced.
Then I, your servant, will be glad.
29Let those who accuse me be disgraced.
Let them be covered with shame like a coat.
30I will thank the Lord very much.
I will praise him in front of many people.
31He defends the helpless.
He saved me from those who accuse me.
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Psalms 109: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Psalm 109
109
Help Me, O Lord My God
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 # See Ps. 28:1 Be not silent, O #Deut. 10:21; [Ps. 71:6; Jer. 17:14]God of my praise!
2For wicked and #Ps. 52:4deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me #See Ps. 69:4without cause.
4In return for my love they #Ps. 38:20 accuse me,
but I #[Ps. 69:13]give myself to prayer.#109:4 Hebrew but I am prayer
5So they #See Ps. 35:12reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 # For ver. 6-15, see Ps. 35:4-8; 69:22-28 Appoint a wicked man #[1 Chr. 21:1; Zech. 3:1] against him;
let an accuser stand #Job 30:12at his right hand.
7When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his #Prov. 28:9; [Prov. 15:8; 21:27]prayer be counted as sin!
8May his #[Ps. 55:23] days be few;
may #Cited Acts 1:20 another take his #Num. 4:16; [1 Chr. 24:3]office!
9May his #Ex. 22:24children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
10May his children #[Gen. 4:12]; See Ps. 59:15 wander about and beg,
# [Ps. 37:25] seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11May #[Deut. 28:43, 44]the creditor seize all that he has;
may #[Deut. 28:43, 44]strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12Let there be none to #[Ps. 36:10] extend kindness to him,
nor any to #[Job 5:4]pity his fatherless children!
13May his #See Ps. 21:10 posterity be cut off;
may his #Prov. 10:7name be blotted out in the second generation!
14May #Ex. 20:5 the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
and let not the sin of his mother be #Neh. 4:5; Jer. 18:23blotted out!
15 # [Ps. 90:8] Let them be before the Lord continually,
that he may #Ps. 34:16cut off the memory of them from the earth!
16For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued #ver. 22; Ps. 40:17 the poor and needy
and #See Ps. 34:18the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 # [Prov. 14:14; Ezek. 35:6] He loved to curse; let curses come#109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text curses have come upon him!
He did not delight in blessing; may it be far#109:17 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it is far from him!
18He #[ver. 29; Ps. 73:6] clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it #[Num. 5:22]soak#109:18 Revocalization; Masoretic Text it has soaked into his body like water,
like oil into his bones!
19May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
like a belt that he puts on every day!
20May this be the reward of my #ver. 6, 29accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life!
21But you, O God my Lord,
deal on my behalf #[Jer. 14:7]; See Ps. 23:3 for your name’s sake;
because your #Ps. 69:16; [Ps. 63:3]steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22For I am #ver. 16poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
23I am gone like #See Ps. 102:11 a shadow at evening;
I am #Ex. 10:19; [Neh. 5:13; Job 38:13]shaken off like a locust.
24My knees are weak #Ps. 35:13 through fasting;
my #[Job 16:8]body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25I am #Ps. 22:6; 69:19 an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they #See Ps. 22:7wag their heads.
26 #
Ps. 119:86
Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
27Let them #[Job 37:7]know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it!
28 # [2 Sam. 16:12] Let them curse, but you will bless!
They arise and are put to shame, but #[Isa. 65:14]your servant will be glad!
29May my accusers be #ver. 18; See Job 8:22 clothed with dishonor;
may they #Ps. 71:13; [Ps. 35:26]be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
30With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will #[Ps. 22:25]praise him in the midst of the throng.
31For he stands #ver. 6; See Ps. 16:8at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
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