Psalm CIX (109)

God of my praise, don’t remain silent,

לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִ֣ד מִזְמ֑וֹר אֱלֹהֵ֥י תְ֝הִלָּתִ֗י אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַֽשׁ׃

for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.

כִּ֤י פִ֪י רָשָׁ֡ע וּֽפִי־מִ֭רְמָה עָלַ֣י פָּתָ֑חוּ דִּבְּר֥וּ אִ֝תִּ֗י לְשׁ֣וֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃

They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

וְדִבְרֵ֣י שִׂנְאָ֣ה סְבָב֑וּנִי וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֥וּנִי חִנָּֽם׃

In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.

תַּֽחַת־אַהֲבָתִ֥י יִשְׂטְנ֗וּנִי וַאֲנִ֥י תְפִלָּֽה׃

They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

וַיָּ֘שִׂ֤ימוּ עָלַ֣י רָ֭עָה תַּ֣חַת טוֹבָ֑ה וְ֝שִׂנְאָ֗ה תַּ֣חַת אַהֲבָתִֽי׃

Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand.

הַפְקֵ֣ד עָלָ֣יו רָשָׁ֑ע וְ֝שָׂטָ֗ן יַעֲמֹ֥ד עַל־יְמִינֽוֹ׃

When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin.

בְּ֭הִשָּׁ֣פְטוֹ יֵצֵ֣א רָשָׁ֑ע וּ֝תְפִלָּת֗וֹ תִּהְיֶ֥ה לַֽחֲטָאָֽה׃

Let his days be few. Let another take his office.

יִֽהְיֽוּ־יָמָ֥יו מְעַטִּ֑ים פְּ֝קֻדָּת֗וֹ יִקַּ֥ח אַחֵֽר׃

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

יִֽהְיוּ־בָנָ֥יו יְתוֹמִ֑ים וְ֝אִשְׁתּוֹ אַלְמָנָֽה׃

Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins.

וְנ֤וֹעַ יָנ֣וּעוּ בָנָ֣יו וְשִׁאֵ֑לוּ וְ֝דָרְשׁ֗וּ מֵחָרְבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃

Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.

יְנַקֵּ֣שׁ נ֭וֹשֶׁה לְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֑וֹ וְיָבֹ֖זּוּ זָרִ֣ים יְגִיעֽוֹ׃

Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.

אַל־יְהִי־ל֭וֹ מֹשֵׁ֣ךְ חָ֑סֶד וְֽאַל־יְהִ֥י ח֝וֹנֵ֗ן לִיתוֹמָֽיו׃

Let his posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out.

יְהִֽי־אַחֲרִית֥וֹ לְהַכְרִ֑ית בְּד֥וֹר אַ֝חֵ֗ר יִמַּ֥ח שְׁמָֽם׃

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

יִזָּכֵ֤ר ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אֲ֭בֹתָיו אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה וְחַטַּ֥את אִ֝מּ֗וֹ אַל־תִּמָּֽח׃

Let them be before Yahweh continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth;

יִהְי֣וּ נֶֽגֶד־יְהוָ֣ה תָּמִ֑יד וְיַכְרֵ֖ת מֵאֶ֣רֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃

because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.

יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר ׀ לֹ֥א זָכַר֮ עֲשׂ֪וֹת חָ֥סֶד וַיִּרְדֹּ֡ף אִישׁ־עָנִ֣י וְ֭אֶבְיוֹן וְנִכְאֵ֨ה לֵבָ֬ב לְמוֹתֵֽת׃

Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.

וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב קְ֭לָלָה וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּ וְֽלֹא־חָפֵ֥ץ בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה וַתִּרְחַ֥ק מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones.

וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃

Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him.

תְּהִי־ל֭וֹ כְּבֶ֣גֶד יַעְטֶ֑ה וּ֝לְמֵ֗זַח תָּמִ֥יד יַחְגְּרֶֽהָ׃

This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who speak evil against my soul.

זֹ֤את פְּעֻלַּ֣ת שֹׂ֭טְנַי מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וְהַדֹּבְרִ֥ים רָ֝֗ע עַל־נַפְשִֽׁי׃

But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;

וְאַתָּ֤ה ׀ יְה֘וִ֤ה אֲדֹנָ֗י עֲֽשֵׂה־אִ֭תִּי לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּי־ט֥וֹב חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃

for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.

כִּֽי־עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְי֣וֹן אָנֹ֑כִי וְ֝לִבִּ֗י חָלַ֥ל בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃

I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust.

כְּצֵל־כִּנְטוֹת֥וֹ נֶהֱלָ֑כְתִּי נִ֝נְעַ֗רְתִּי כָּֽאַרְבֶּֽה׃

My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat.

בִּ֭רְכַּי כָּשְׁל֣וּ מִצּ֑וֹם וּ֝בְשָׂרִ֗י כָּחַ֥שׁ מִשָּֽׁמֶן׃

I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head.

וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ הָיִ֣יתִי חֶרְפָּ֣ה לָהֶ֑ם יִ֝רְא֗וּנִי יְנִיע֥וּן רֹאשָֽׁם׃

Help me, Yahweh, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness;

עָ֭זְרֵנִי יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑י ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי כְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃

that they may know that this is your hand; that you, Yahweh, have done it.

וְֽ֭יֵדְעוּ כִּי־יָ֣דְךָ זֹּ֑את אַתָּ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה עֲשִׂיתָֽהּ׃

They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.

יְקַֽלְלוּ־הֵמָּה֮ וְאַתָּ֪ה תְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ קָ֤מוּ ׀ וַיֵּבֹ֗שׁוּ וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ יִשְׂמָֽח׃

Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ שׂוֹטְנַ֣י כְּלִמָּ֑ה וְיַעֲט֖וּ כַמְעִ֣יל בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃

I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.

א֘וֹדֶ֤ה יְהוָ֣ה מְאֹ֣ד בְּפִ֑י וּבְת֖וֹךְ רַבִּ֣ים אֲהַֽלְלֶֽנּוּ׃

For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

כִּֽי־יַ֭עֲמֹד לִימִ֣ין אֶבְי֑וֹן לְ֝הוֹשִׁ֗יעַ מִשֹּׁפְטֵ֥י נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃