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¹ <> Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. ² Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. ³ Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your yeshu`ah." <sup>4</sup> Let those who seek after my soul be put to shame and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. <sup>5</sup> Let them be as chaff before the wind, The angel of the LORD driving them on. <sup>6</sup> Let their way be dark and slippery, The angel of the LORD pursuing them. <sup>7</sup> For without cause have they hid their net in a pit for me. Without cause have they dug a pit for my soul. <sup>8</sup> Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Into that destruction let him fall. <sup>9</sup> My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his yeshu`ah. ¹⁰ All my bones shall say, "LORD, who is like you, Who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"

¹¹ Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don't know about. ¹² They reward me evil for good, To the bereaving of my soul. ¹³ But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. ¹⁴ I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. ¹⁵ But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn't know it. They tore at me, and didn't cease. ¹⁶ Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed their teeth at me.

¹⁷ Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, My precious life from the lions. ¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. ¹⁹ Don't let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. ²⁰ For they don't speak shalom, But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. ²¹ Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!" ²² You have seen it, LORD. Don't keep silent. Lord, don't be far from me. ²³ Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! ²⁴ Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness; Don't let them gloat over me. ²⁵ Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it." Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!" ²⁶ Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. ²⁷ Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!" ²⁸ My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.