3 Bring forth the spear, and stop the way against them that
persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul:
let them be turned back and brought to confusion, that imagine
mischief for me.
5 Let them be as the dust before the wind: and the angel of the
Lord scattering them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the
Lord persecute them.
7 For they have privily laid their net to destroy me without a
cause: yea, even without a cause have they made a pit for my soul.
8 Let a sudden destruction come upon him unawares, and his net,
that he hath laid privily, catch himself: that he may fall into
his own mischief.
9 And, my soul, be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his
salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, who
deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him: yea, the
poor, and him that is in misery, from him that spoileth him?
11 False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that
I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good: to the great discomfort of my
soul.
13 Nevertheless, when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and
humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall turn into mine
own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother:
I went heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves
together: yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares,
making mouths at me, and ceased not.
16 With the flatterers were busy mockers: who gnashed upon me
with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look upon this: O deliver my soul
from the calamities which they bring on me, and my darling from
the lions.
18 So will I give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will
praise thee among much people.
19 O let not them that are mine enemies triumph over me ungodly:
neither let them wink with their eyes that hate me without a cause.
20 And why? their communing is not for peace: but they imagine
deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
21 They gaped upon me with their mouths, and said: Fie on thee,
fie on thee, we saw it with our eyes.
22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: hold not thy tongue then, go not
far from me, O Lord.
23 Awake, and stand up to judge my quarrel: avenge thou my cause,
my God, and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness: and
let them not triumph over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, There, there, so would we
have it: neither let them say, We have devoured him.
26 Let them be put to confusion and shame together, that rejoice
at my trouble: let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour, that
boast themselves against me.
27 Let them be glad and rejoice, that favour my righteous dealing:
yea, let them say alway, Blessed be the Lord, who hath pleasure in
the prosperity of his servant.
28 And as for my tongue, it shall be talking of thy righteousness:
and of thy praise all the day long.
PSALM 36. _Dixit injustus_.
My heart sheweth me the wickedness of the ungodly: that there is
no fear of God before his eyes.
2 For he flattereth himself in his own sight: until his abominable
sin be found out.
3 The words of his mouth are unrighteous, and full of deceit: he
hath left off to behave himself wisely, and to do good.
4 He imagineth mischief upon his bed, and hath set himself in no
good way: neither doth he abhor any thing that is evil.
5 Thy mercy, O Lord, reacheth unto the heavens: and thy faithfulness
unto the clouds.
6 Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains: thy
judgements are like the great deep.
7 Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast; How excellent is thy
mercy, O God: and the children of men shall put their trust under
the shadow of thy wings.
8 They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house: and
thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures, as out of the river.
9 For with thee is the well of life: and in thy light shall we see
light.
10 O continue forth thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee:
and thy righteousness unto them that are true of heart.
11 O let not the foot of pride come against me: and let not the
hand of the ungodly cast me down.
12 There are they fallen, all that work wickedness: they are cast
down, and shall not be able to stand.