Psalm 109. Deus, laudem.

1. HOLD not thy tongue, O God of my praise; *
   for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
2. And they have spoken against me with false tongues; *
   they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
3. For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part; *
   but I give myself unto prayer.
4. Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, *
   and hatred for my good will.
5. Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, *
   and let an adversary stand at his right hand.
6. When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned; *
   and let his prayer be turned into sin.
7. Let his days be few; *
   and let another take his office.
8. Let his children be fatherless, *
   and his wife a widow.
9. Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread; *
   let them seek it also out of desolate places.
10. Let the extortioner consume all that he hath; *
    and let the stranger spoil his labour.
11. Let there be no man to pity him, *
    nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
12. Let his posterity be destroyed; *
    and in the next generation let his name be clean put out.
13. Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the Lord; *
    and let not the sin of his mother be done away.
14. Let them alway be before the Lord, *
    that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth;
15. And that, because his mind was not to do good; *
    but persecuted the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart.
16. His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him; *
    he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
17. He clothed himself with cursing like as with a raiment, *
    and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
18. Let it be unto him as the cloak that he hath upon him, *
    and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
19. Let it thus happen from the Lord unto mine enemies, *
    and to those that speak evil against my soul.
20. But deal thou with me, O Lord God, according unto thy Name; *
    for sweet is thy mercy.
21. O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, *
    and my heart is wounded within me.
22. I go hence like the shadow that departeth, *
    and am driven away as the grasshopper.
23. My knees are weak through fasting; *
    my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.
24. I am become also a reproach unto them: *
    they that look upon me shake their heads.
25. Help me, O Lord my God; *
    O save me according to thy mercy;
26. And they shall know how that this is thy hand, *
    and that thou, Lord, hast done it.
27. Though they curse, yet bless thou; *
    and let them be confounded that rise up against me; but let thy servant rejoice.
28. Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame; *
    and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a cloak.
29. As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth, *
    and praise him among the multitude;
30. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, *
    to save his soul from unrighteous judges.