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¹ A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, contend with those who strive against me; fight those who fight against me.² Take hold of a shield and buckler, and arise as my help.³ Draw out the spear and close ranks to meet my pursuers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.⁴ Let those who seek my soul be ashamed and disgraced; let them be turned back and brought to confusion, those who plot evil to me.⁵ Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the Angel of Jehovah driving away.⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, and the Angel of Jehovah their pursuer.⁷ For they have hidden their pit-net for me without cause; without cause they have dug for my soul.⁸ Let destruction come on him; he will not know; and let his net which he concealed catch him; let him fall in it, into destruction.⁹ And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah; it will rejoice in His salvation.¹⁰ All my bones shall say: O Jehovah, who is like You, who delivers the poor from those stronger than he; yes, the poor and needy from his plunderer?

¹¹ Witnesses of violence rise up; they asked me what I did not know;¹² they rewarded me evil for good, bereaving my soul.¹³ But in their sickness, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fastings; and my prayer returned to my bosom.¹⁴ I walked as a friend, as to my brother; as one who mourns a mother, I was bowed down mourning.¹⁵ But they rejoiced in my limping; and assembling the defamers assembled themselves against me; and I did not know; they tore and were not silent;¹⁶ with the ungodly they were mockers for a cake, gnashing their teeth on me.

¹⁷ O Lord, how long will You look on? Draw back my soul from their desolations, my only one from the lions.¹⁸ I will thank You in the great assembly, and I will praise You among a mighty people.¹⁹ Let not my lying enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.²⁰ For they do not speak peace; but they devise deceitful things against the quiet ones of the earth.²¹ And they open their mouth wide against me; they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen.²² You have seen, O Jehovah; do not keep silence, O Lord, do not be far from me.²³ Stir Yourself and awaken to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.²⁴ Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to Your righteousness; and do not let them rejoice over me.²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, Aha! Our soul! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.²⁶ Let them be ashamed and be confounded together, the ones who rejoice at my evil; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor, the ones who magnify themselves against me.²⁷ Let those who delight in my justification shout and rejoice; and they shall say without ceasing, Jehovah be magnified, delighting in the peace of His servant.²⁸ And my tongue will speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day.