Christian Standard Bible

International Standard Version

1God of my praise, do not be silent.

1God, whom I praise, do not be silent,

2For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.

2for the mouths of wicked and deceitful people are opened against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.

3They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.

3They surround me with hate-filled words, attacking me for no reason.

4In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray.

4Instead of receiving my love, they accuse me, though I continue in prayer.

5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

5They devise evil against me instead of good, and hatred in place of my love.

6Set a wicked person over him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

6Appoint an evil person over him; may an accuser stand at his right side.

7When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his prayer be counted as sin.

7When he is judged, may he be found guilty; may his prayer be regarded as sin.

8Let his days be few; let another take over his position.

8May his days be few; may another take over his position.

9Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

9May his children become fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10Let his children wander as beggars, searching for food far from their demolished homes.

10May his children roam around begging, seeking food while driven far from their ruined homes.

11Let a creditor seize all he has; let strangers plunder what he has worked for.

11May creditors seize all his possessions, and may foreigners loot the property he has acquired.

12Let no one show him kindness, and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.

12May no one extend gracious love to him, or show favor to his fatherless children.

13Let the line of his descendants be cut off; let their name be blotted out in the next generation.

13May his descendants be eliminated, and their memory be erased from the next generation.

14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and do not let his mother's sin be blotted out.

14May his ancestors' guilt be remembered in the LORD's presence, and may his mother's guilt not be erased.

15Let their sins always remain before the LORD, and let him remove all memory of them from the earth.

15May what they have done be continually in the LORD's presence; and may their memory be excised from the earth.

16For he did not think to show kindness, but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted in order to put them to death.

16For he didn't think to extend gracious love; he harassed to death the poor, the needy, and the broken hearted.

17He loved cursing--let it fall on him; he took no delight in blessing--let it be far from him.

17He loved to curse—may his curses return upon him! He took no delight in blessing others — so may blessings be far from him.

18He wore cursing like his coat--let it enter his body like water and go into his bones like oil.

18He wore curses like a garment— may they enter his inner being like water and his bones like oil.

19Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself, like a belt he always wears.

19May those curses wrap around him like a garment, or like a belt that one always wears.

20Let this be the LORD's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.

20May this be the way the LORD repays my accuser, those who speak evil against me.

21But you, LORD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake; because your faithful love is good, rescue me.

21Now you, LORD my God, defend me for your name's sake; because your gracious love is good, deliver me!

22For I am suffering and needy; my heart is wounded within me.

22Indeed, I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23I fade away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.

23I am fading away like a shadow late in the day; I am shaken off like a locust.

24My knees are weak from fasting, and my body is emaciated.

24My knees give way from fasting, and my skin is lean, deprived of oil.

25I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

25I have become an object of derision to them— they shake their heads whenever they see me.

26Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your faithful love

26Help me, LORD my God! Deliver me in accord with your gracious love!

27so they may know that this is your hand and that you, LORD, have done it.

27Then they will realize that your hand is in this— that you, LORD, have accomplished it.

28Though they curse, you will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.

28They will curse, but you will bless. When they attack, they will be humiliated, while your servant rejoices.

29My accusers will be clothed with disgrace; they will wear their shame like a cloak.

29May my accusers be clothed with shame and wrapped in their humiliation as with a robe.

30I will fervently thank the LORD with my mouth; I will praise him in the presence of many.

30I will give many thanks to the LORD with my mouth, praising him publicly,

31For he stands at the right hand of the needy to save him from those who would condemn him.

31for he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to deliver him from his accusers.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.