Read the Bible

¹ I praise you, God; don't remain silent!
² Wicked people and liars have attacked me.
They tell lies about me,
³     and they say evil things about me,
    attacking me for no reason.
⁴ They oppose me, even though I love them
    and have prayed for them.^[b]
5 They pay me back evil for good
    and hatred for love.

⁶ Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy,
    and let one of his own enemies accuse him.
⁷ May he be tried and found guilty;
    may even his prayer be considered a crime!
^8 (a)May his life soon be ended;
    may someone else take his job!
⁹ May his children become orphans,
    and his wife a widow!
¹⁰ May his children be homeless beggars;
    may they be driven from^[c] the ruins they live in!
¹¹ May his creditors take away all his property,
    and may strangers get everything he worked for.
¹² May no one ever be kind to him
    or care for the orphans he leaves behind.
¹³ May all his descendants die,
    and may his name be forgotten in the next generation.
¹⁴ May the Lord remember the evil of his ancestors
    and never forgive his mother's sins.
¹⁵ May the Lord always remember their sins,
    but may they themselves be completely forgotten!

¹⁶ That man never thought of being kind;
    he persecuted and killed
    the poor, the needy, and the helpless.
¹⁷ He loved to curse—may he be cursed!
    He hated to give blessings—may no one bless him!
¹⁸ He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself;
    may his own curses soak into his body like water
    and into his bones like oil!
¹⁹ May they cover him like clothes
    and always be around him like a belt!

²⁰ Lord, punish my enemies in that way—
    those who say such evil things against me!
²¹ But my Sovereign Lord, help me as you have promised,
    and rescue me because of the goodness of your love.
²² I am poor and needy;
    I am hurt to the depths of my heart.
²³ Like an evening shadow I am about to vanish;
    I am blown away like an insect.
²⁴ My knees are weak from lack of food;
    I am nothing but skin and bones.
^25 (b)When people see me, they laugh at me;
    they shake their heads in scorn.

²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God;
    because of your constant love, save me!
²⁷ Make my enemies know
    that you are the one who saves me.
²⁸ They may curse me, but you will bless me.
    May my persecutors be defeated,^[d]
    and may I, your servant, be glad.
²⁹ May my enemies be covered with disgrace;
    may they wear their shame like a robe.

³⁰ I will give loud thanks to the Lord;
    I will praise him in the assembly of the people,
³¹ because he defends the poor
    and saves them from those who condemn them to death.