1 God of my praise, do not be silent.

2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me;

they speak against me with lying tongues.

3 They surround me with hateful words

and attack me without cause.

4 In return for my love they accuse me,

but I continue to pray.[fn]

5 They repay me evil for good,

and hatred for my love.

6 Set a wicked person over him;

let an accuser[fn] stand at his right hand.

7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,

and let his prayer be counted as sin.

8 Let his days be few;

let another take over his position.

9 Let his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow.

10 Let his children wander as beggars,

searching for food far[fn] from their demolished homes.

11 Let a creditor seize all he has;

let strangers plunder what he has worked for.

12 Let no one show him kindness,

and let no one be gracious to his fatherless children.

13 Let the line of his descendants be cut off;

let their name be blotted out in the next generation.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers

be remembered before the LORD,

and do not let his mother’s sin be blotted out.

15 Let their sins[fn] always remain before the LORD,

and let him remove[fn] all memory of them from the earth.

16 For he did not think to show kindness,

but pursued the suffering, needy, and brokenhearted

in order to put them to death.

17 He loved cursing ​— ​let it fall on him;

he took no delight in blessing ​— ​let it be far from him.

18 He wore cursing like his coat —

let it enter his body like water

and go into his bones like oil.

19 Let it be like a robe he wraps around himself,

like a belt he always wears.

20 Let this be the LORD’s payment to my accusers,

to those who speak evil against me.

21 But you, LORD, my Lord,

deal kindly with me for your name’s sake;

because your faithful love is good, rescue me.

22 For I am suffering and needy;

my heart is wounded within me.

23 I fade away like a lengthening shadow;

I am shaken off like a locust.

24 My knees are weak from fasting,

and my body is emaciated.[fn]

25 I have become an object of ridicule to my accusers;[fn]

when they see me, they shake their heads in scorn.

26 Help me, LORD my God;

save me according to your faithful love

27 so they may know that this is your hand

and that you, LORD, have done it.

28 Though they curse, you will bless.

When they rise up, they will be put to shame,

but your servant will rejoice.

29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace;

they will wear their shame like a cloak.

30 I will fervently thank the LORD with my mouth;

I will praise him in the presence of many.

31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy

to save him from those who would condemn him.