| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. | 1By David. O LORD, fight those who fight with me! Attack those who attack me! |
| 2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. | 2Grab your small shield and large shield, and rise up to help me! |
| 3Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. | 3Use your spear and lance against those who chase me! Assure me with these words: "I am your deliverer!" |
| 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. | 4May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! |
| 5Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. | 5May they be like wind-driven chaff, as the LORD's angel attacks them! |
| 6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. | 6May their path be dark and slippery, as the LORD's angel chases them! |
| 7For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. | 7I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me. |
| 8Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. | 8Let destruction take them by surprise! Let the net they hid catch them! Let them fall into destruction! |
| 9And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. | 9Then I will rejoice in the LORD and be happy because of his deliverance. |
| 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? | 10With all my strength I will say, "O LORD, who can compare to you? You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them." |
| 11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. | 11Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me. |
| 12They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. | 12They repay me evil for the good I have done; I am overwhelmed with sorrow. |
| 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. | 13When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) |
| 14I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. | 14I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother. |
| 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: | 15But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest. |
| 16With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. | 16When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me. |
| 17Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. | 17O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? Rescue me from their destructive attacks; guard my life from the young lions! |
| 18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. | 18Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people! |
| 19Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. | 19Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me! Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! |
| 20For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. | 20For they do not try to make peace with others, but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. |
| 21Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. | 21They are ready to devour me; they say, "Aha! Aha! We've got you!" |
| 22This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. | 22But you take notice, LORD! O Lord, do not remain far away from me! |
| 23Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. | 23Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and Lord, defend my just cause! |
| 24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. | 24Vindicate me by your justice, O LORD my God! Do not let them gloat over me! |
| 25Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. | 25Do not let them say to themselves, "Aha! We have what we wanted!" Do not let them say, "We have devoured him!" |
| 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. | 26May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! |
| 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. | 27May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, "May the LORD be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure." |
| 28And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. | 28Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long. |
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