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¹ [A Psalme of Dauid.] Plead my cause (O Lord) with them that striue with mee: fight against them that fight against me. ² Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe. ³ Draw out also the speare, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation. ⁴ Let them be confounded and put to shame that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe and brought to confusion, that deuise my hurt. ⁵ Let them be as chaffe before the wind: and let the Angel of the Lord chase them. ⁶ Let their way be darke and slippery, and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them. ⁷ For without cause haue they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they haue digged for my soule. ⁸ Let destruction come vpon him at vnawares, and let his net that hee hath hid, catch himselfe: into that very destruction let him fall. ⁹ And my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation. ¹⁰ All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like vnto thee which deliuerest the poore from him that is too strong for him, yea the poore and the needy, from him that spoileth him?

¹¹ False witnesses did rise vp they layd to my charge things that I knew not. ¹² They rewarded mee euill for good, to the spoiling of my soule. ¹³ But as for me, when they were sicke, my clothing was sack-cloth: I humbled my soule with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome. ¹⁴ I behaued my selfe as though he had bene my friend, or brother: I bowed downe heauily, as one that mourneth for his mother. ¹⁵ But in mine aduersitie they reioyced, and gathered themselues together: yea, the abiects gathered themselues together against me, & I knew it not, they did teare me, and ceased not, ¹⁶ With hypocriticall mockers in feasts: they gnashed vpon mee with their teeth.

¹⁷ Lord, how long wilt thou looke on? rescue my soule from their destructions, my darling from the lyons. ¹⁸ I will giue thee thankes in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. ¹⁹ Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully, reioyce ouer me: neither let them winke with the eye, that hate me without a cause. ²⁰ For they speake not peace: but they deuise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land. ²¹ Yea they opened their mouth wide against me, and saide, Aha, Aha, our eye hath seene it. ²² This thou hast seene (O Lord) keepe not silence: O Lord be not farre from me. ²³ Stirre vp thy selfe and awake to my iudgement, euen vnto my cause, my God and my Lord. ²⁴ Iudge me O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer me. ²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we haue it: let them not say, We haue swallowed him vp. ²⁶ Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together, that reioyce at mine hurt: let them bee cloathed with shame and dishonour, that magnifie themselues against me. ²⁷ Let them shoute for ioy, and bee glad that fauour my righteous cause: yea let them say continually, Let the Lord bee magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his seruant ²⁸ And my tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse, and of thy praise all the day long.