Davidic

A Prayer for Deliverance

1Argue my case,a LORD,

against those who argue against me.

Fight against those who fight against me.

2Take up the bucklerb and the shield,

and rise up to help me.

3Take out the spear and the ax to confront the one who pursues me;

say to me, “I am your deliverer!”

4Let those who seek my life be ashamed and disgraced;

let those who plot evil against me be driven back and confounded.

5Make them like the chaff before the wind,

as the messenger of the LORD pushes them aside.

6May their path be dark and slippery,

as the messenger of the LORD tracks them down.

7Without justification they laid a snare for me;

without justification they dug a pit to trap me.

8Let destruction come upon themc unawares,

and let the net that he hid catch him;

let him fall into destruction.

9My soul will rejoice in the LORD

and be glad in his deliverance.

10All my bones will say,

“LORD, who is like you?

Who delivers the weak from the one who is stronger than he,

and the weak and the needy from the one who wants to rob him?”

11False witnesses stepped forward

and questioned me concerning things

about which I knew nothing.

12They paid me back evil for good;

my soul mourns.

13But when they were sick,

I wore sackcloth, humbled myself with fasting,

and prayed from my heart repeatedly for them.d

14I paced about as for my friend or my brother,

and fell down mourning as one weeps for one’s mother.

15But when I stumbled,

they rejoiced and gathered together.

They gathered together against me—

attackers whom I did not know.

They tore me apart and would not stop.

16Malicious mockerse —

they gnashedf their teeth against me.

17Lord, how long will you just watch?

Rescue me from their destruction,

my precious life from these young lions.

18Then I will give you thanks in front of the great congregation;

in the midst of the mighty throng I will praise you.

19Do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me,

nor let those who hate me without justification mock me with their eyes.

20For they do not speak peace;

they devise clever lies against the peaceful people of the land.

21They open their mouth wide against me,

claiming, “Yes! Yes! We saw him dog it with our own eyes!”

22You see this, LORD,

so do not be silent.

Lord, do not be far from me!

23Wake up! Arouse yourself to vindicate me

and argue my case, my God and my Lord.

24Judge me according to your righteousness, LORD my God!

But do not let them gloat over me.

25Don’t let them say in their hearts,

“Yes! We got what we wanted.”

Don’t let them say,

“We have swallowed him up.”

26Instead, let those who gloat over the evil directed against me

be ashamed and confounded together;

Let those who exalt themselves over me

be clothed with shame and dishonor.

27Let those who delight in my vindication

shout for joy and rejoice!

Let them continuously say,

“Magnify the LORD, who delights in giving peace toh his servant.”

28My tongue will declare your righteousness

and praise you all day long.