English Standard Version

King James Bible

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

1A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

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

2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

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

3Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

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 them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

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

5Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

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

6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

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

7For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

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 him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

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

9And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

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 shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

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

11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

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

12They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

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

13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

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 behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his 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 in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

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

16With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

17Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

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

18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

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

19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

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

20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

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

21Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

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

22This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

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

23Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

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

24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

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

25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not 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!

26Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

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 them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

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

28And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the 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.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.