Song of the Slandered

1To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,

2For the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, Against me they have opened, They have spoken with me -- A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!

3They have compassed me about, And they fight me without cause.

4For my love they oppose me, and I -- prayer!

5And they set against me evil for good, And hatred for my love.

6Appoint Thou over him the wicked, And an adversary standeth at his right hand.

7In his being judged, he goeth forth wicked, And his prayer is for sin.

8His days are few, his oversight another taketh,

9His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10And wander continually do his sons, Yea, they have begged, And have sought out of their dry places.

11An exactor layeth a snare for all that he hath, And strangers spoil his labour.

12He hath none to extend kindness, Nor is there one showing favour to his orphans.

13His posterity is for cutting off, In another generation is their name blotted out.

14The iniquity of his fathers Is remembered unto Jehovah, And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.

15They are before Jehovah continually, And He cutteth off from earth their memorial.

16Because that he hath not remembered to do kindness, And pursueth the poor man and needy, And the smitten of heart -- to slay,

17And he loveth reviling, and it meeteth him, And he hath not delighted in blessing, And it is far from him.

18And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

19It is to him as apparel -- he covereth himself, And for a continual girdle he girdeth it on.

20This is the wage of mine accusers from Jehovah, And of those speaking evil against my soul.

21And Thou, O Jehovah Lord, Deal with me for Thy name's sake, Because Thy kindness is good, deliver me.

22For I am poor and needy, And my heart hath been pierced in my midst.

23As a shadow when it is stretched out I have gone, I have been driven away as a locust.

24My knees have been feeble from fasting, And my flesh hath failed of fatness.

25And I -- I have been a reproach to them, They see me, they shake their head.

26Help me, O Jehovah my God, Save me, according to Thy kindness.

27And they know that this is Thy hand, Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast done it.

28They revile, and Thou dost bless, They have risen, and are ashamed, And Thy servant doth rejoice.

29Mine accusers put on blushing, and are covered, As an upper robe is their shame.

30I thank Jehovah greatly with my mouth, And in the midst of many I praise Him,

31For He standeth at the right hand of the needy, To save from those judging his soul.