International Standard Version

King James Bible

1Argue my case, LORD, against those who argue against 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 up the buckler and the shield, and rise up to help me.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 them unawares, and let the net that he hid catch him; let him fall into 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.

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

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

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?"

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

14I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

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.

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:

16Malicious mockers — they gnashed their teeth against me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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; they devise clever lies against the peaceful people of the land.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 vindication shout for joy and rejoice! Let them continuously say, "Magnify the LORD, who delights in giving peace to 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.

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

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

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

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.