1Do not be silent, O God of my praise.*

2For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,

speaking against me with lying tongues.

3They surround me with words of hate

and attack me without cause.*

4In return for my love they accuse me,

even while I make prayer for them.r^,*

5So they reward me evil for good

and hatred for my love.*

6They say,s “Appoint a wicked man against him;

let an accuser stand on his right.*

7When he is tried, let him be found guilty;

let his prayer be counted as sin.*

8May his days be few;

may another seize his position.*

9May his children be orphans

and his wife a widow.*

10May his children wander about and beg;

may they be driven out oft the ruins they inhabit.

11May the creditor seize all that he has;

may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.*

12May there be no one to do him a kindness

nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.*

13May his posterity be cut off;

may his name be blotted out in the second generation.*

14May the iniquity of his fatheru be remembered before the Lord,

and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.*

15Let them be before the Lord continually,

and may hisv memory be cut off from the earth.*

16For he did not remember to show kindness

but pursued the poor and needy

and the brokenhearted to their death.*

17He loved to curse; let curses come on him.

He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.*

18He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;

may it soak into his body like water,

like oil into his bones.*

19May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,

like a belt that he wears every day.”

20May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,

of those who speak evil against my life.*

21But you, O Lord my Lord,

act on my behalf for your name’s sake;

because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.*

22For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is pierced within me.*

23I am gone like a shadow at evening;

I am shaken off like a locust.*

24My knees are weak through fasting;

my body has become gaunt.*

25I am an object of scorn to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.*

26Help me, O Lord my God!

Save me according to your steadfast love.

27Let them know that this is your hand;

you, O Lord, have done it.*

28Let them curse, but you will bless.

Let my assailants be put to shame;w may your servant be glad.*

29May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;

may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.*

30With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;

I will praise him in the midst of the throng.*

31For he stands at the right hand of the needy,

to save them from those who would condemn them to death.*