Contend with My Opponents, O LORD 1 AKJV Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. BSB BSB: Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
2 AKJV Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. BSB BSB: Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3 AKJV Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am your salvation. BSB BSB: Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
4 AKJV Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. BSB BSB: May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
5 AKJV Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. BSB BSB: May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
6 AKJV Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. BSB BSB: May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
7 AKJV For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dig for my soul. BSB BSB: For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
8 AKJV Let destruction come on him at unawares; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. BSB BSB: May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
9 AKJV And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. BSB BSB: Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
10 AKJV All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like to you, which deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him? BSB BSB: All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
11 AKJV False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. BSB BSB: Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
12 AKJV They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. BSB BSB: They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
13 AKJV But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. BSB BSB: Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
14 AKJV I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother. BSB BSB: I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
15 AKJV But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yes, the attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: BSB BSB: But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
16 AKJV With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed on me with their teeth. BSB BSB: Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 AKJV Lord, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. BSB BSB: How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
18 AKJV I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people. BSB BSB: Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
19 AKJV Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. BSB BSB: Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
20 AKJV For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. BSB BSB: For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
21 AKJV Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it. BSB BSB: They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
22 AKJV This you have seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. BSB BSB: O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
23 AKJV Stir up yourself, and awake to my judgment, even to my cause, my God and my Lord. BSB BSB: Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 AKJV Judge me, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. BSB BSB: Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 AKJV Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. BSB BSB: Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 AKJV Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me. BSB BSB: May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
27 AKJV Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. BSB BSB: May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
28 AKJV And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. BSB BSB: Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.