English Standard Version

International Standard Version

1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

1Argue my case, LORD, against those who argue against me. Fight against those who fight against me.

2Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!

2Take up the buckler and the shield, and rise up to help me.

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”

3Take out the spear and the ax to confront the one who pursues me; say to me, "I am your deliverer!"

4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!

4Let those who seek my life be ashamed and disgraced; let those who plot evil against me be driven back and confounded.

5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!

5Make them like the chaff before the wind, as the messenger of the LORD pushes them aside.

6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!

6May their path be dark and slippery, as the messenger of the LORD tracks them down.

7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

7Without justification they laid a snare for me; without justification they dug a pit to trap me.

8Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!

8Let destruction come upon them unawares, and let the net that he hid catch him; let him fall into destruction.

9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation.

9My soul will rejoice in the LORD and be glad in his deliverance.

10All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

10All my bones will say, "LORD, who is like you? Who delivers the weak from the one who is stronger than he, and the weak and the needy from the one who wants to rob him?"

11Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.

11False witnesses stepped forward and questioned me concerning things about which I knew nothing.

12They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.

12They paid me back evil for good; my soul mourns.

13But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.

13But when they were sick, I wore sackcloth, humbled myself with fasting, and prayed from my heart repeatedly for them.

14I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.

14I paced about as for my friend or my brother, and fell down mourning as one weeps for one's mother.

15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;

15But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together. They gathered together against me— attackers whom I did not know. They tore me apart and would not stop.

16like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

16Malicious mockers — they gnashed their teeth against me.

17How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!

17Lord, how long will you just watch? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from these young lions.

18I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

18Then I will give you thanks in front of the great congregation; in the midst of the mighty throng I will praise you.

19Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.

19Do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me, nor let those who hate me without justification mock me with their eyes.

20For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.

20For they do not speak peace; they devise clever lies against the peaceful people of the land.

21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

21They open their mouth wide against me, claiming, "Yes! Yes! We saw him do it with our own eyes!"

22You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!

22You see this, LORD, so do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me!

23Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!

23Wake up! Arouse yourself to vindicate me and argue my case, my God and my Lord.

24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!

24Judge me according to your righteousness, LORD my God! But do not let them gloat over me.

25Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

25Don't let them say in their hearts, "Yes! We got what we wanted." Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up."

26Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!

26Instead, let those who gloat over the evil directed against me be ashamed and confounded together; Let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

27Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

27Let those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! Let them continuously say, "Magnify the LORD, who delights in giving peace to his servant."

28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

28My tongue will declare your righteousness and praise you all day long.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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