The Psalmist's Prayer Against His Enemies

O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, 

for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.

In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.

Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him.

May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.

May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.

May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.

He loved to pronounce a curse- may it come on him; he found no pleasure in blessing- may it be far from him.

He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.

May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.

May this be the LORD's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.

But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.

My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.

I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.

Let them know that it is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.

They may curse, but you will bless; when they attack they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.

My accusers will be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; in the great throng I will praise him.

For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.

Key Passages