Contend with My Opponents, O LORD

1Stryue thou with them (o LORDE) that stryue wt me, fight thou agaynst them that fight agaynst me.

2Laye honde vpon the shylde and speare, and stonde vp to helpe me.

3Drawe out thy swearde, and stoppe the waye agaynst them that persecute me, saye vnto my soule: I am yi helpe.

4Let them be cofounded and put to shame, that seke after my soule: let the be turned back and brought to confucion, that ymagin myschefe for me.

5Let the be as ye dust before the wynde, and the angell of the LORDE scaterynge the.

6Let their waye be darcke and slippery, and the angell of the LORDE to persecute them.

7For they haue pryuely laied their nett to destroye me without a cause, yee and made a pitte for my soule, which I neuer deserued.

8Let a sodane destruccio come vpon him vnawarres, and ye nett that he hath layed priuely, catch him self, that he maye fall in to his owne myschefe.

9But let my soule be ioyfull in the LORDE, and reioyse in his helpe.

10All my bones shal saie: LORDE, who is like vnto the? which delyuerest ye poore from those that are to stronge for him, yee the poore and the nedy from his robbers.

11False witnesses are rysen vp, & laye to my charge thinges that I knowe not.

12They rewarde me euell for good, to the greate discomforth of my soule.

13Neuertheles, when they were sick, I put on a sack cloth: I humbled my soule with fastinge, and my prayer turned in to myne owne bosome.

14I behaued myself as though it had bene my frende or my brother, I wete heuely, as one yt mourneth for his mother.

15But in my aduersite they reioyse, and gather them together: yee ye very lame come together agaynst me vnawarres, makynge mowes at me, & ceasse not.

16With ye gredy & scornefull ypocrites, they gnasshed vpon me with theirteth.

17LORDE, whan wilt thou loke vpo this? O restore my soule from ye wicked rumoure of the, my dearlinge from the lyons.

18So wil I geue ye thankes in the greate congregacion, & prayse the amonge moch people.

19O let the not triuphe ouer me, that are myne enemies for naught: O let them not wyncke wt their eyes, that hate me without a cause.

20And why? their comonynge is not for peace, but they ymagin false wordes agaynst ye outcastes of the londe.

21They gape vpon me wt their mouthes, sayenge: there there: we se it with oure eyes.

22This thou seist, o LORDE: holde not thy tonge the: go not farre fro me, o LORDE.

23Awake (LORDE) and stonde vp: auenge thou my cause, my God, and my LORDE.

24Iudge me (o LORDE my God) acordinge to thy rightuousnesse, yt they triuphe not ouer me.

25O let the not saye in their hertes: there there, so wolde we haue it. O let them not saye: we haue ouercome him.

26Let them be put to confucion and shame, that reioyse at my trouble: let the be clothed with rebuke and dishonoure, that boost the selues agaynst me.

27Let them also be glad and reioyse, that fauoure my rightuous dealinge: yee let them saye allwaye: blessed be ye LORDE, which hath pleasure in the prosperite of his seruaunt.

28And as for my tonge, it shall be talkynge of thy rightuousnes and of thy prayse, all the daye longe.