Psalm 109. Deus, laudem.
HOLD not thy tongue, O God of my praise; * for the mouth of the
ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
2 And they have spoken against me with false tongues; * they
compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against
me without a cause.
3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary
part; * but I give myself unto prayer.
4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, * and hatred for
my good will.
5 Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, * and let an
adversary stand at his right hand.
6 When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned; * and
let his prayer be turned into sin.
7 Let his days be few; * and let another take his office.
8 Let his children be fatherless, * and his wife a widow.
9 Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread; * let them
seek it also out of desolate places.
10 Let the extortioner consume all that he hath; * and let the
stranger spoil his labour.
11 Let there be no man to pity him, * nor to have compassion
upon his fatherless children.
12 Let his posterity be destroyed; * and in the NEXT
generation
let his name be clean put out.
13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in
the sight of the LORD; * and let not the sin of his mother be
done away.
14 Let them alway be before the LORD, * that he may root out
the memorial of them from off the earth;
15 And that, because his mind was not to do good; * but persecuted
the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was vexed
at the heart.
16 His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him;
* he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
17 He clothed himself with cursing like as with a raiment, *
and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into
his bones.
18 Let it be unto him as the cloak that he hath upon him, * and
as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
19 Let it thus happen from the LORD unto mine enemies, * and
to those that speak evil against my soul.
20 But deal thou with me, O LORD God, according unto thy Name;
* for sweet is thy mercy.
21 O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, ~ and my heart is
wounded within me.
22 I go hence like the shadow that departeth, * and am driven
away as the grasshopper.
23 My knees are weak through fasting; * my flesh is dried up
for want of fatness.
24 I am become also a reproach unto them: * they that look upon
me shake their heads.
25 Help me, O LORD my God; * O save me according to thy mercy;
26 And they shall know how that this is thy hand, * and that
thou, LORD, hast done it.
27 Though they curse, yet bless thou; * and let them be confounded
that rise up against me; but let thy servant rejoice.
28 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame; * and let them
cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a cloak.
29 As for me, I will give great thanks unto the LORD with my
mouth, * and praise him among the multitude;
30 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, * to save
his soul from unrighteous judges.