| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! | 1By David. O LORD, fight those who fight with me! Attack those who attack me! |
| 2Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! | 2Grab your small shield and large shield, and rise up to help me! |
| 3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!” | 3Use your spear and lance against those who chase me! Assure me with these words: "I am your deliverer!" |
| 4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! | 4May those who seek my life be embarrassed and humiliated! May those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed! |
| 5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away! | 5May they be like wind-driven chaff, as the LORD's angel attacks them! |
| 6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them! | 6May their path be dark and slippery, as the LORD's angel chases them! |
| 7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life. | 7I did not harm them, but they hid a net to catch me and dug a pit to trap me. |
| 8Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction! | 8Let destruction take them by surprise! Let the net they hid catch them! Let them fall into destruction! |
| 9Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, exulting in his salvation. | 9Then I will rejoice in the LORD and be happy because of his deliverance. |
| 10All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?” | 10With all my strength I will say, "O LORD, who can compare to you? You rescue the oppressed from those who try to overpower them; the oppressed and needy from those who try to rob them." |
| 11Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. | 11Violent men perjure themselves, and falsely accuse me. |
| 12They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft. | 12They repay me evil for the good I have done; I am overwhelmed with sorrow. |
| 13But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. | 13When they were sick, I wore sackcloth, and refrained from eating food. (If I am lying, may my prayers go unanswered!) |
| 14I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. | 14I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother. |
| 15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; | 15But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together to ambush me. They tore at me without stopping to rest. |
| 16like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth. | 16When I tripped, they taunted me relentlessly, and tried to bite me. |
| 17How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! | 17O Lord, how long are you going to just stand there and watch this? Rescue me from their destructive attacks; guard my life from the young lions! |
| 18I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. | 18Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people! |
| 19Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. | 19Do not let those who are my enemies for no reason gloat over me! Do not let those who hate me without cause carry out their wicked schemes! |
| 20For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. | 20For they do not try to make peace with others, but plan ways to deceive those who are unsuspecting. |
| 21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!” | 21They are ready to devour me; they say, "Aha! Aha! We've got you!" |
| 22You have seen, O LORD; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! | 22But you take notice, LORD! O Lord, do not remain far away from me! |
| 23Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! | 23Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and Lord, defend my just cause! |
| 24Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! | 24Vindicate me by your justice, O LORD my God! Do not let them gloat over me! |
| 25Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” | 25Do not let them say to themselves, "Aha! We have what we wanted!" Do not let them say, "We have devoured him!" |
| 26Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! | 26May those who want to harm me be totally embarrassed and ashamed! May those who arrogantly taunt me be covered with shame and humiliation! |
| 27Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” | 27May those who desire my vindication shout for joy and rejoice! May they continually say, "May the LORD be praised, for he wants his servant to be secure." |
| 28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. | 28Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long. |
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