Contend with My Opponents, O LORD 1 ULT Of David Yahweh, oppose my opponents; fight those fighting me. BSB BSB: Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
2 ULT Grab the small shield and large shield; rise up as my helper! BSB BSB: Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3 ULT Draw out spear and javelin to meet those chasing 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 ULT May those who seek my life have shame and be dishonored. May those who plan my harm be turned back and confounded. 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 ULT May they be as chaff before the wind, and the angel of Yahweh driving{ them} away. BSB BSB: May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
6 ULT May their way be dark and slippery places, and the angel of Yahweh chasing them. BSB BSB: May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
7 ULT For without cause they hid for me a pit, their net; without cause they dug for my life. BSB BSB: For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
8 ULT Let destruction overtake him; he does not know. Let the net that he hid catch him. In destruction, let him fall into it. BSB BSB: May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
9 ULT But my soul will be joyful in Yahweh; it will rejoice in his salvation. BSB BSB: Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
10 ULT All my bones will say,“Yahweh, who is like you, rescuing the oppressed from those stronger than them and the oppressed and needy from those robbing them?” 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 ULT Witnesses of violence rise up; what I do not know they ask me. BSB BSB: Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
12 ULT They repay me evil in place of good— bereavement to my soul. BSB BSB: They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
13 ULT But I, when they were sick, my clothing{ was} sackcloth; I afflicted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned upon my bosom. BSB BSB: Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
14 ULT As{ for} a friend, as{ for} a brother to me, I walked about; as{ one} lamenting{ for} a mother, mourning, I bowed down. BSB BSB: I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
15 ULT But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together against me, the stricken{ ones}, and I did not know. They tore and did not cease. 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 ULT Among godless mockers of food, they gnashed their teeth at me. BSB BSB: Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 ULT Lord, how long will you look on? Restore my soul from their destructions, my only{ one} from the young lions! BSB BSB: How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
18 ULT I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you among many people. BSB BSB: Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
19 ULT Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; let{ not} the haters of me without cause wink the eye. BSB BSB: Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
20 ULT For they do not speak peace, and against the quiet{ ones} of the earth they devise words of deceits. BSB BSB: For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
21 ULT They open their mouth wide against me; they say,“Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen.” BSB BSB: They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
22 ULT You have seen, Yahweh; do not be silent; Lord, do not be far from me. BSB BSB: O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
23 ULT Awake and arouse yourself for my justice, my God and my Lord, for my cause. BSB BSB: Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 ULT Judge me according to your righteousness, Yahweh my God, and do not let them rejoice over me. BSB BSB: Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 ULT Do not let them say in their heart,“Aha, our soul!” Do not let them 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 ULT Let them be ashamed and confounded together, those rejoicing at my evil. Let them be clothed with shame and humiliation, the ones magnifying{ 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 ULT Let them shout for joy and be glad, those delighting in my righteousness, and let them say continually,“Let Yahweh be great, the{ one} delighting in 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 ULT And my tongue will meditate on your righteousness, all the day, your praise. 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.