Contend with My Opponents, O LORD 1 Brenton A Psalm of David. Judge thou, O Lord, them that injure 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 Brenton Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help. BSB BSB: Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3 Brenton Bring forth a sword, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation. BSB BSB: Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
4 Brenton Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame. 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 Brenton Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them. BSB BSB: May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
6 Brenton Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them. BSB BSB: May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
7 Brenton For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul. BSB BSB: For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Brenton Let a snare which they know not come upon them: and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare. BSB BSB: May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
9 Brenton But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation. BSB BSB: Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
10 Brenton All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil 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 Brenton Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I knew not. BSB BSB: Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
12 Brenton They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul. BSB BSB: They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
13 Brenton But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to 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 Brenton I behaved agreeably towards them as if it had been our neighbour or brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance. BSB BSB: I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
15 Brenton Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew it not: they were scattered, but repented 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 Brenton They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me. BSB BSB: Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Brenton O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one 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 Brenton I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise thee. BSB BSB: Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
19 Brenton Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes. BSB BSB: Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
20 Brenton For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in their anger. BSB BSB: For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
21 Brenton And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it . BSB BSB: They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
22 Brenton Thou hast seen it , O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not thyself from me. BSB BSB: O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Brenton Awake, O Lord, and attend 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 Brenton Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me. BSB BSB: Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 Brenton Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, it is pleasing to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him. BSB BSB: Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Brenton Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words 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 Brenton Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace 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 Brenton And my tongue shall meditate on thy righteousness, and on thy praise all the day. 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.