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[For the end, a Psalm of David.]
[1] O God, pass not over my praise in silence;
[2] for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the crafty man have been opened against me: they have spoken against me with a crafty tongue.
[3] And they have compassed me with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
[4] Instead of loving me, they falsely accused me: but I continued to pray.
[5] And they rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
[6] Set thou a sinner against him; and let the devil stand at his right hand.
[7] When he is judged, let him go forth condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
[8] Let his days be few: and let another take his office of overseer.
[9] Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow.
[10] Let his children wander without a dwelling-place, and beg: let them be cast out of their habitations.
[11] Let his creditor exact all that belongs to him: and let strangers spoil his labours.
[12] Let him have no helper; neither let there be any one to have compassion on his fatherless children.
[13] Let his children be given up to utter destruction: in one generation let his name be blotted out.
[14] Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
[15] Let them be before the Lord continually; and let their memorial be blotted out from the earth.
[16] Because he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the needy and poor man, and that to slay him that was pricked in the heart.
[17] He loved cursing also, and it shall come upon him; and he took not pleasure in blessing, so it shall be removed far from him.
[18] Yea, he put on cursing as a garment, and it is come as water into his bowels, and as oil into his bones.
[19] Let it be to him as a garment which he puts on, and as a girdle with which he girds himself continually.
[20] This is the dealing of the Lord with those who falsely accuse me, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
[21] But thou, O Lord, Lord, deal mercifully with me, for thy name's sake: for thy mercy is good.
[22] Deliver me, for I am poor and needy; and my heart is troubled within me.
[23] I am removed as a shadow in its going down: I am tossed up and down like locusts.
[24] My knees are weakened through fasting, and my flesh is changed by reason of the want of oil.
[25] I became also a reproach to them: when they saw me they shook their heads.
[26] Help me, O Lord my God; and save me according to thy mercy.
[27] And let them know that this is thy hand; and that thou, Lord, hast wrought it.
[28] Let them curse, but thou shalt bless: let them that rise up against me be ashamed, but let thy servant rejoice.
[29] Let those that falsely accuse me be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a mantle.
[30] I will give thanks to the Lord abundantly with my mouth; and in the midst of many I will praise him.
[31] For he stood on the right hand of the poor, to save me from them that persecute my soul.
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