¹Contend , LORD , with those who contend with me.

Fight against those who fight against me.

²Take hold of shield and buckler ,

and stand up for my help .

³Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me .

Tell my soul , “I am your salvation .”

⁴Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonour.

Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded .

⁵Let them be as chaff before the wind ,

the LORD ’s angel driving them on .

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery ,

the LORD ’s angel pursuing them .

⁷For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me .

Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul .

⁸Let destruction come on him unawares .

Let his net that he has hidden catch himself .

Let him fall into that destruction .

⁹My soul shall be joyful in the LORD .

It shall rejoice in his salvation .

¹⁰All my bones shall say, “LORD , who is like you ,

who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him ;

yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him ?”

¹¹Unrighteous witnesses rise up .

They ask me about things that I don’t know about .

¹²They reward me evil for good ,

to the bereaving of my soul .

¹³But as for me , when they were sick , my clothing was sackcloth .

I afflicted my soul with fasting .

My prayer returned into my own bosom .

¹⁴I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother .

I bowed down mourning , as one who mourns his mother.

¹⁵But in my adversity , they rejoiced , and gathered themselves together .

The attackers gathered themselves together against me , and I didn’t know it .

They tore at me , and didn’t cease .

¹⁶Like the profane mockers in feasts ,

they gnashed their teeth at me .

¹⁷Lord, how long will you look on ?

Rescue my soul from their destruction ,

my precious life from the lions .

¹⁸I will give you thanks in the great assembly .

I will praise you amongst many people .

¹⁹Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me ;

neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes .

²⁰For they don’t speak peace ,

but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹Yes , they opened their mouth wide against me .

They said , “Aha ! Aha ! Our eye has seen it !”

²²You have seen it , LORD . Don’t keep silent .

Lord , don’t be far from me .

²³Wake up ! Rise up to defend me , my God!

My Lord, contend for me !

²⁴Vindicate me , LORD my God , according to your righteousness .

Don’t let them gloat over me .

²⁵Don’t let them say in their heart , “Aha ! That ’s the way we want it !”

Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up !”

²⁶Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity .

Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour who magnify themselves against me .

²⁷Let those who favour my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad .

Yes, let them say continually , “May the LORD be magnified ,

who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant !”

²⁸My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long .