O Jehovah, challenge those who challenge me;
Make war against those who make war against me!
Put on your armor and take up your shield;
Stir yourself and rise, come to my rescue!
Seize the spear, brandish the javelin;
Block the way against those who pursue me!
Tell me that you will be my salvation.
Bring disgrace and shame on those who would destroy me;
Confuse, put to retreat those who seek my ruin.
Let them be like chaff blown before the wind
Driven forth by the agent of Jehovah.
And let their way be dark and slippery,
Pursued by the agent of Jehovah.
Without reason they have set a trap for me,
Spreading a net and digging a hidden pit.
But let them be ensnared in their own net;
Let them fall into their own hidden pit
And, unawares, meet their own destruction.
My spirit will then rejoice in Jehovah
And be glad that he has brought my salvation.
With every ounce of my soul I will say,
“O Jehovah, who can compare with you?
Who is it that saves the weak from the strong
And protects the helpless and poor from robbers?”
Hostile witnesses rise up against me
And quiz me on things I know nothing about.
They return evil for the good I do them
And leave my spirit in desolation.
When they were ill, I dressed in mourning
And denied myself by fasting.
I prayed for them repeatedly
As if they were a friend or brother.
I went around bent over with grief,
As one who mourns for his mother.
But when I stumbled, they rejoiced.
They gathered round and looked on with glee,
As strangers kept insulting me.
They abused, mocked, and belittled,
And ground their teeth at me in anger.
How much longer, O God, will you look on?
Rescue my soul from these ruthless attacks!
Protect my precious life from these predators!
Then, in the assembly, I will thank you,
And before all the people I will praise you.
They who have no reason to oppose me,
Let them not delight in my defeat.
They who have no cause to hate me,
Let them not sneer at my sorrow.
They do not speak in words of peace,
But tell lies about the peaceable.
Of me they make false accusations.
“Aha, aha,” they mockingly say,
“We have seen what you are up to.”
Jehovah, you are witness to this.
Do not remain silent about it,
Do not leave me alone, O God!
Arouse yourself and defend me!
Rise up and fight for me, O my God!
Judge me fairly, Jehovah my god,
According to your righteous ways,
Vindicate me and stop their gloating.
Do not let them say to themselves,
“Ah, yes, we got what we wanted.”
Or proclaim, “We have eaten him up!”
May those who take pleasure in my suffering
Be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who exalt themselves above me
Be covered with dishonor and disgrace.
But for those who favored my vindication,
Let them shout out in joyful jubilation
And repeat, “How great is Jehovah
Who takes pleasure in his servant’s success!”
Then I will proclaim your righteousness
And sing your praises all day long!
