The Song of the Slandered

1To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid. Holde not thy tongue, O God of my praise.

2For the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth full of deceite are opened vpon me: they haue spoken to me with a lying tongue.

3They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

4For my friendship they were mine aduersaries, but I gaue my selfe to praier.

5And they haue rewarded me euil for good, and hatred for my friendship.

6Set thou the wicked ouer him, and let the aduersarie stand at his right hand.

7Whe he shalbe iudged, let him be condemned, and let his praier be turned into sinne.

8Let his daies be fewe, and let another take his charge.

9Let his children be fatherlesse, and his wife a widowe.

10Let his children be vagabounds & beg and seeke bread, comming out of their places destroyed.

11Let the extortioner catch al that he hath, and let the strangers spoile his labour.

12Let there be none to extende mercie vnto him: neither let there be any to shewe mercie vpon his fatherlesse children.

13Let his posteritie be destroied, and in the generation following let their name be put out.

14Let the iniquitie of his fathers bee had in remembrance with the Lord: and let not the sinne of his mother be done away.

15But let them alway be before the Lorde, that he may cut off their memorial from ye earth.

16Because he remembred not to shew mercie, but persecuted the afflicted and poore man, and the sorowfull hearted to slay him.

17As he loued cursing, so shall it come vnto him, and as he loued not blessing, so shall it be farre from him.

18As he clothed himselfe with cursing like a rayment, so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones.

19Let it be vnto him as a garment to couer him, and for a girdle, wherewith he shalbe alway girded.

20Let this be the rewarde of mine aduersarie from the Lord, and of them, that speake euill against my soule.

21But thou, O Lorde my God, deale with me according vnto thy Name: deliuer me, (for thy mercie is good)

22Because I am poore and needie, and mine heart is wounded within me.

23I depart like the shadowe that declineth, and am shaken off as the grashopper.

24My knees are weake through fasting, and my flesh hath lost all fatnes.

25I became also a rebuke vnto them: they that looked vpon me, shaked their heads.

26Helpe me, O Lord my God: saue me according to thy mercie.

27And they shal know, that this is thine hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it.

28Though they curse, yet thou wilt blesse: they shall arise & be confounded, but thy seruant shall reioyce.

29Let mine aduersaries be clothed with shame, and let them couer themselues with their confusion, as with a cloke.

30I will giue thankes vnto the Lorde greatly with my mouth & praise him among ye multitude.

31For he will stand at the right hand of the poore, to saue him from them that woulde condemne his soule.