³ They have compassed me about also with words of hatred, And fought against me without a cause.

⁴ They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: They that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: That which I took not away I have to restore.

⁷ For without cause have they hid for me their net `in' a pit; Without cause have they digged `a pit' for my soul.

²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

²⁵ But `this cometh to pass', that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

¹² Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Holy One.

¹⁷ They came round about me like water all the day long; They compassed me about together.

³ For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.

⁴ They run and prepare themselves without `my' fault: Awake thou to help me, and behold.

²⁰ For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.

¹² Many bulls have compassed me; Strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

¹¹ They have now compassed us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast `us' down to the earth.

⁷ And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow:

⁸ Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art `taken' in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.

¹² And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

¹⁸ And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

⁴ And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good:

⁵ for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?