Study Desk

Contend, LORD, with those who ^(C1)contend with me; Fight against those who ^(C2)fight against me.

Take hold of ^(F1)(C1)buckler and shield And rise up as ^(C2)my help.

Draw also the spear and ^(F1)the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, "I am ^(C1)your salvation."

Let those be ^(C1)ashamed and dishonored who seek my ^(F1)life; Let those be ^(C2)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

Let them be ^(C1)like chaff before the wind, With the angel of the LORD driving them on.

Let their way be dark and ^(C1)slippery, With the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

For ^(C1)they ^(C2)hid their net for me without cause; Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.

Let ^(C1)destruction come upon him when he is unaware, And ^(C2)let the net which he hid catch him; Let him fall into that very ^(C3)destruction.

So my soul shall ^(C1)rejoice in the LORD; It shall ^(C2)rejoice in His salvation.

All my ^(C1)bones will say, "LORD, ^(C2)who is like You, Who rescues the afflicted from one ^(C3)who is too strong for him, And ^(C4)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?"

^(C1)Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.

They ^(C1)repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul.

But as for me, ^(C1)when they were sick, my ^(C2)clothing was sackcloth; I ^(C3)humbled my soul with fasting, But my ^(C4)prayer kept returning to ^(F1)me.

I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I ^(C1)bowed down ^(F1)in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.

But ^(C1)at my ^(F1)stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The ^(F2)(C2)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me, They ^(F3)(C3)slandered me without ceasing.

Like godless jesters at a feast, They ^(C1)gnashed at me with their teeth.