Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

1Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me;

Fight against those who fight against me.

2Take hold of [a]buckler and shield

And rise up as my help.

3Draw also the spear and [b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;

Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

4Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my [c]life;

Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

5Let them be like chaff before the wind,

With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

6Let their way be dark and slippery,

With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

7For they hid their net for me without cause;

Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

8Let destruction come upon him when he is unaware,

And let the net which he hid catch him;

Let him fall into that very destruction.

9So my soul shall rejoice in the LORD;

It shall rejoice in His salvation.

10All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You,

Who rescues the afflicted from one who is too strong for him,

And the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”

11Malicious witnesses rise up;

They ask me things that I do not know.

12They repay me evil for good,

To the bereavement of my soul.

13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled my soul with fasting,

But my prayer kept returning to [d]me.

14I went about as though it were my friend or brother;

I bowed down [e]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.

15But at my [f]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;

The [g]afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,

They [h]slandered me without ceasing.

16Like godless jesters at a feast,

They gnashed at me with their teeth.

17Lord, how long will You look on?

Rescue my soul from their ravages,

My only life from the lions.

18I will give You thanks in the great congregation;

I will praise You among a mighty people.

19Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;

Nor let those who hate me for no reason [i]wink maliciously.

20For they do not speak peace,

But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21They opened their mouth wide against me;

They said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

22You have seen it, LORD, do not keep silent;

Lord, do not be far from me.

23Stir Yourself, and awake to my right

And to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24Judge me, LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,

And do not let them rejoice over me.

25Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, our desire!”

Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

26May those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;

May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

27May those shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in my vindication;

And may they say continually, “The LORD be exalted,

Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

28And my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness

And Your praise all day long.