To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. 8,6,8,6 ^1O thou the God of all my praise, do thou not hold thy peace; ^2For mouths of wicked men to speak against me do not cease: The mouths of vile deceitful men against me open'd be; And with a false and lying tongue they have accused me. ^3They did beset me round about with words of hateful spight: And though to them no cause I gave, against me they did fight. ^4They for my love became my foes, but I me set to pray. ^5Evil for good, hatred for love, to me they did repay. ^6Set thou the wicked over him; and upon his right hand Give thou his greatest enemy, ev'n Satan, leave to stand. ^7And when by thee he shall be judg'd, let him condemned be; And let his pray'r be turn'd to sin, when he shall call on thee. ^8Few be his days, and in his room his charge another take. ^9His children let be fatherless, his wife a widow make. ^10His children let be vagabonds, and beg continually; And from their places desolate seek bread for their supply. ^11Let covetous extortioners catch all he hath away: Of all for which he labour'd hath let strangers make a prey. ^12Let there be none to pity him, let there be none at all That on his children fatherless will let his mercy fall. ^13Let his posterity from earth cut off for ever be, And in the foll'wing age their name be blotted out by thee. ^14Let God his father's wickedness still to remembrance call; And never let his mother's sin be blotted out at all. ^15But let them all before the Lord appear continually, That he may wholly from the earth cut off their memory. ^16Because he mercy minded not, but persecuted still The poor and needy, that he might the broken-hearted kill. ^17As he in cursing pleasure took, so let it to him fall; As he delighted not to bless, so bless him not at all. ^18As cursing he like clothes put on, into his bowels so, Like water, and into his bones, like oil, down let it go. ^19Like to the garment let it be which doth himself array, And for a girdle, wherewith he is girt about alway. ^20From God let this be their reward that en'mies are to me, And their reward that speak against my soul maliciously. ^21But do thou, for thine own name's sake, O God the Lord, for me: Sith good and sweet thy mercy is, from trouble set me free. ^22For I am poor and indigent, afflicted sore am I, My heart within me also is wounded exceedingly. ^23I pass like a declining shade, am like the locust tost: ^24My knees through fasting weaken'd are, my flesh hath fatness lost. ^25I also am a vile reproach unto them made to be; And they that did upon me look did shake their heads at me. ^26O do thou help and succour me, who art my God and Lord: And, for thy tender mercy's sake, safety to me afford: ^27That thereby they may know that this is thy almighty hand; And that thou, Lord, hast done the same, they may well understand. ^28Although they curse with spite, yet, Lord, bless thou with loving voice: Let them asham'd be when they rise; thy servant let rejoice. ^29Let thou mine adversaries all with shame be clothed over; And let their own confusion them, as a mantle, cover. ^30But as for me, I with my mouth will greatly praise the Lord; And I among the multitude his praises will record. ^31For he shall stand at his right hand who is in poverty, To save him from all those that would condemn his soul to die. |