Psalm of David.
1 Enter into contention, O Lord, with those who contend with me, overcome those who fight against me;
2 Take shield and armor, and rise to my aid;
3 draw your sword, and bar the way of those who pursue me; Say to my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be ashamed and put to shame that seek my life; let those who devise evil against me turn back and be covered with disgrace;
5 Let them be as dust before the wind, and let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the LORD pursue them,
7 For without guilt they hid their snare for me: without guilt they dug it for my soul.
8 Let sudden destruction come upon him, and let his snare which he hid for me catch him; let him fall into it to perdition.
9 But my soul will rejoice in the Lord, will rejoice in salvation from him.
10 All my bones will say, "Lord! who is like Thee, who delivereth the weak from the strong, the poor and needy from his robber?"
11 Unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me: what I do not know, they are questioning me;
12 They repay me evil for good, orphanhood to my soul.
13 In the time of their sickness I clothed myself in sackcloth, and weary my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned to my bosom.
14 I have walked as if it were my friend, my brother; I walked mournful, with my head bowed, as if mourning my mother.
15 And when I stumbled, they rejoiced, and gathered together; scoffers gathered against me, I don't know why, they reviled me and did not cease;
16 With hypocritical mockers they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord! How long will you look at this? Take away my soul from their wickedness, from the lions my lonely one.
18 I will praise thee in the great assembly, I will praise thee in the midst of a multitude of people,
19 lest those who are enemies against me unrighteously triumph over me, and let not those who hate me innocently wink at each other's eyes.
20 For they do not speak of peace, but against the peaceful of the earth they devise evil designs;