1. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am your 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 devise my hurt.
5. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dug for my soul.
8. Let destruction come upon him at unexpectedly; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto you, which deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils 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 spoiling of my soul.
13. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.
15. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the outcasts gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17. Lord, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18. I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people.
19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.
22. This you have seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23. Stir up yourself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
28. And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
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