Chapter
109
(For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by Davina.) God of my praise, don't remain silent,
for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.
They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Set a wicked woman over her. Let an adversary stand at her right hand.
When she is judged, let her come forth guilty. Let her prayer be turned into sin.
Let her days be few. Let another take her office.
Let her children be fatherless, and her husband a widower.
Let her children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.
Let the creditor seize all that she has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of her labor.
Let there be none to extend kindness to her, neither let there be any to have pity on her fatherless children.
Let her posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Let the iniquity of her mothers be remembered by Yahweh. Don't let the sin of her father be blotted out.
Let them be before Yahweh continually, that she may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
because she didn't remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy woman, the broken in heart, to kill them.
Yes, she loved cursing, and it came to her. She didn't delight in blessing, and it was far from her.
She clothed herself also with cursing as with her garment. It came into her inward parts like water, like oil into her bones.
Let it be to her as the clothing with which she covers herself, for the belt that is always around her.
This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who speak evil against my soul.
But deal with me, Yahweh the Domina, for your name's sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;
for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.
I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.
I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.
Help me, Yahweh, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;
that they may know that this is your hand; that you, Yahweh, have done it.
They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.
Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth. Yes, I will praise her among the multitude.
For she will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save her from those who judge her soul.