^{1 Ref} By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,

^{2 Ref} Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,

^{3 Ref} And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, `Thy salvation I `am'.'

^{4 Ref} They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.

^{5 Ref} They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.

^{6 Ref} Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.

^{7 Ref} For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.

^{8 Ref} Meet him doth desolation -- he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.

^{9 Ref} And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.

^{10 Ref} All my bones say, `Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'

^{11 Ref} Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.

^{12 Ref} They pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,

^{13 Ref} And I -- in their sickness my clothing `is' sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.

^{14 Ref} As `if' a friend, as `if' my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.

^{15 Ref} And -- in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;

^{16 Ref} With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.

^{17 Ref} Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.

^{18 Ref} I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.

^{19 Ref} Mine enemies rejoice not over me `with' falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.

^{20 Ref} For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,

^{21 Ref} And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, `Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'

^{22 Ref} Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord -- be not far from me,

^{23 Ref} Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.

^{24 Ref} Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.

^{25 Ref} They do not say in their heart, `Aha, our desire.' They do not say, `We swallowed him up.'

^{26 Ref} They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.

^{27 Ref} They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, `Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'

^{28 Ref} And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!

^{1 Ref} <Of David.> O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.

^{2 Ref} Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.

^{3 Ref} Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.

^{4 Ref} Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

^{5 Ref} Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.

^{6 Ref} Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.

^{7 Ref} For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.

^{8 Ref} Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.

^{9 Ref} And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.

^{10 Ref} All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.

^{11 Ref} False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.

^{12 Ref} They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.

^{13 Ref} But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.

^{14 Ref} My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.

^{15 Ref} But they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.

^{16 Ref} Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.

^{17 Ref} Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

^{18 Ref} I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.

^{19 Ref} Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.

^{20 Ref} For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.

^{21 Ref} Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

^{22 Ref} You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.

^{23 Ref} Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.

^{24 Ref} Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.

^{25 Ref} Let them not say in their hearts, So we will have it: let them not say, We have put an end to him.

^{26 Ref} Let all those who take pleasure in my troubles be shamed and come to nothing: let those who are lifted up against me be covered with shame and have no honour.

^{27 Ref} Let those who are on my side give cries of joy; let them ever say, The Lord be praised, for he has pleasure in the peace of his servant.

^{28 Ref} And my tongue will be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day.

^{1 Ref} Strive thou, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me: Fight thou against them that fight against me.

^{2 Ref} Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help.

^{3 Ref} Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

^{4 Ref} Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor that seek after my soul: Let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.

^{5 Ref} Let them be as chaff before the wind, And the angel of Jehovah driving `them' on.

^{6 Ref} Let their way be dark and slippery, And the angel of Jehovah pursuing them.

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

^{8 Ref} Let destruction come upon him unawares; And let his net that he hath hid catch himself: With destruction let him fall therein.

^{9 Ref} And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah: It shall rejoice in his salvation.

^{10 Ref} All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, Who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, Yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?

^{11 Ref} Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not.

^{12 Ref} They reward me evil for good, `To' the bereaving of my soul.

^{13 Ref} But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

^{14 Ref} I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.

^{15 Ref} But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew `it' not; They did tear me, and ceased not:

^{16 Ref} Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth.

^{17 Ref} Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.

^{18 Ref} I will give thee thanks in the great assembly: I will praise thee among much people.

^{19 Ref} Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

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

^{21 Ref} Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me; They said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

^{22 Ref} Thou hast seen it, O Jehovah; keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

^{23 Ref} Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice `due' unto me, `Even' unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

^{24 Ref} Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness; And let them not rejoice over me.

^{25 Ref} Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

^{26 Ref} Let them be put to shame and confounded together that rejoice at my hurt: Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.

^{27 Ref} Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, Who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

^{28 Ref} And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness `And' of thy praise all the day long. Psalm 36 For the Chief Musician. `A Psalm' of David the servant of Jehovah.