To the chief music-maker. Of David. A Psalm.

¹ God of my praise, let my prayer be answered;

² For the mouth of the sinner is open against me in deceit: his tongue has said false things against me.

³ Words of hate are round about me; they have made war against me without cause.

⁴ For my love they give me back hate; but I have given myself to prayer.

⁵ They have put on me evil for good; hate in exchange for my love.

⁶ Put an evil man over him; and let one be placed at his right hand to say evil of him.

⁷ When he is judged, let the decision go against him; and may his prayer become sin.

⁸ Let his life be short; let another take his position of authority.

⁹ Let his children have no father, and his wife be made a widow.

¹⁰ Let his children be wanderers, looking to others for their food; let them be sent away from the company of their friends.

¹¹ Let his creditor take all his goods; and let others have the profit of his work.

¹² Let no man have pity on him, or give help to his children when he is dead.

¹³ Let his seed be cut off; in the coming generation let their name go out of memory.

¹⁴ Let the Lord keep in mind the wrongdoing of his fathers; and may the sin of his mother have no forgiveness.

¹⁵ Let them be ever before the eyes of the Lord, so that the memory of them may be cut off from the earth.

¹⁶ Because he had no mercy, but was cruel to the low and the poor, designing the death of the broken-hearted.

¹⁷ As he took pleasure in cursing, so let it come on him; and as he had no delight in blessing, let it be far from him.

¹⁸ He put on cursing like a robe, and it has come into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.

¹⁹ Let it be to him as a robe which he puts on, let it be like a band which is round him at all times.

²⁰ Let this be the reward given to my haters from the Lord, and to those who say evil of my soul.

²¹ But, O Lord God, give me your help, because of your name; take me out of danger, because your mercy is good.

²² For I am poor and in need, and my heart is wounded in me.

²³ I am gone like the shade when it is stretched out: I am forced out of my place like a locust.

²⁴ My knees are feeble for need of food; there is no fat on my bones.

²⁵ As for me, they make sport of me; shaking their heads when they see me.

²⁶ Give me help, O Lord my God; in your mercy be my saviour;

²⁷ So that they may see that it is the work of your hand; that you, Lord, have done it.

²⁸ They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.

²⁹ Let my haters be clothed with shame, covering themselves with shame as with a robe.

³⁰ I will give the Lord great praise with my mouth; yes, I will give praise to him among all the people.

³¹ For he is ever at the right hand of the poor, to take him out of the hands of those who go after his soul.