To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David

Verse 1

God of my praise, hold not thy peace: For they who wicked be, Their mouth, and mouth of guilefulness Are open against me: Against, me speak with lying tongue. And compass me about With words of hate: and me against Without a cause they fought.

Verse 2

They for my love mine en'mies are But I my prayer do make. They ill for good rewarded me, And hate for my love's sake, Appoint a wicked person that O'er him may have command; And likewise at his right hand let The adversary stand.

Verse 3

When he is judged, let him then Condemned be therein: And let the pray'r that he doth make Be turned into sin. Yea, let his days be few, and let His charge another take. His children let be fatherless, His wife a widow make,

Verse 4

His children let be vagabonds: Let them a begging go, And from their places desolate, Let them seek bread also.

Verse 5

Yea, let th' extortioner catch all That doth to him pertain; And let the strangers spoil what he Did by his labour gain. Let there not any be to him That mercy may express? Nor any one that favour may His children fatherless.

Verse 6

Let go into perdition The race that of him came; In the next generation Out-razed be his name.

Verse 7

Remembred with the Lord be his Father's iniquity; And of his mother let the sin Out blotted never be. Before Jehovah let them be Continually put: That from out of the earth he may The mem'ry of them cut.

Verse 8

Because that he remembred not, Compassion. to impart; But did pursue the needy poor To slay the broke in heart.

Verse 9

As he did cursing love, so let The same unto him come: And he did not in blessing joy, So be it far him from. With cursing like a robe, as he Him cloath'd: so let it go: Into his bowels water like, Like oyl his bones into.

Verse 10

Like as a garment unto him So let it him array: And like a girdle wherewith he May gird himself alway Thus let mine adversaries be Rewarded from the Lord, Thus them reward against my soul Who speak an evil word.

Verse 11

But thou Jehovah Lord, deal well For thy name's sake with me: Because that good thy mercy is, O do thou set me free. For poor and needy I, my heart In me is wounded too. Like falling shade I pass, I'm toss'd As locusts too and fro.

Verse 12

Thro' fasts my knees are weak: my flesh Its fatness doth forsake. And I am their reproach, they look At me, their heads they shake. Jehovah, O my God me help In mercy save thou me. That they may know this is my hand Lord, that its done by thee.

Verse 13

Though they do curse, yet do thou bless: Let them ashamed be When they arise: but let him joy That servant is to thee. Mine adversaries, O let them With shame be cloath'd upon: And be they cloath'd as with a cloak With their confusion.

Verse 14

Unto Jehovah with my mouth Give hearty thanks will I: Yea, him among the multitude With praise I'll glorify. For he shall stand at the right hand Of the airlifted one, From those that do condemn his soul To give salvation.