1Strive thou, O LORD, with those who strive with me. Fight thou against those who fight against me. 2Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. 3Draw out the spear also, and stop the way against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am thy salvation. 4Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise my hurt. 5Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the agent of LORD driving [them] on. 6Let their way be dark and slippery, and the agent of LORD pursuing them. 7For without cause they have hid their net for me [in] a pit. Without cause have they dug [a pit] for my soul. 8Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself. Let him fall in it with destruction. 9And my soul shall be joyful in LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation. 10All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like thee, who delivers a poor man from him who is too strong for him, yea, a poor and needy man from him who robs him? 11Unrighteous witnesses rise up, they ask me of things that I know not. 12They reward me evil for good, [to] the bereaving of my soul. 13But as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom. 14I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as he who bewails his mother. 15But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The wretches gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not. They tore me, and ceased not. 16Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. 17LORD, how long will thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. 18I will give thee thanks in the great assembly. I will praise thee among much people. 19Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me. Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. 20For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it. 22Thou have seen it, O LORD. Keep not silence. O LORD, be not far from me. 23Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice to me, to my cause, my God and my LORD. 24Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me. 25Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. 26Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. 27Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually, LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness [and] of thy praise all the day long.