Song of the Slandered
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1 God of my praise, do not remain silent.
2 For the mouths of the wicked and deceitful open against me.
They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
and fought against me without cause.
4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries,
but I am in prayer.
5 They have rewarded me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Set a wicked man over him.
Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him come out guilty.
Let his prayer be turned into sin.
8 Let his days be few.
Let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless,
and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children be wandering beggars.
Let them be sought from their ruins.
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has.
Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
12 Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,
nor let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off.
In the generation following, let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by the LORD.
Do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before the LORD continually,
that he may cut off their memory from the earth,
16 because he did not remember to show kindness,
but persecuted the poor and needy man,
the broken in heart, to kill them.
17 Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.
He did not delight in blessing, and it was far from him.
18 He clothed himself with cursing like a garment.
Let it enter his inward parts like water,
like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him like the clothing with which he covers himself,
like the belt that is always around him.
20 This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD,
of those who speak evil against me.
21 But deal with me, O GOD, the Lord, for your name’s sake,
because your loving kindness is good, deliver me,
22 for I am poor and needy.
My heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow.
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting.
My body is thin and lacks fat.
25 I have also become a reproach to them.
When they see me, they shake their head.
26 Help me, O LORD, my God.
Save me according to your loving kindness,
27 that they may know that this is your hand,
and that you, O LORD, have done it.
28 They may curse, but you bless.
When they arise, they will be shamed,
but your servant shall rejoice.
29 Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.
Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth.
Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.
31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,
to save him from those who judge his soul.