HOLD not thy tongue, O God of my praise; * for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me.
 
And they have spoken against me with false tongues; * they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
 
For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my contrary part; * but I give myself unto prayer.
 
Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, * and hatred for my good will.
 
Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler over him, * and let an adversary stand at his right hand.
 
When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned; * and let his prayer be turned into sin.
 
Let his days be few; * and let another take his office.
 
Let his children be fatherless, * and his wife a widow.
 
Let his children be vagabonds, and beg their bread; * let them seek it also out of desolate places.
 
Let the extortioner consume all that he hath; * and let the stranger spoil his labour.
 
Let there be no man to pity him, * nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children.
 
Let his posterity be destroyed; * and in the next generation let his name be clean put out.
 
Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight of the LORD; * and let not the sin of his mother be done away.
 
Let them alway be before the LORD, * that he may root out the memorial of them from off the earth;
 
And that, because his mind was not to do good; * but persecuted the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart.
 
His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen unto him; * he loved not blessing, therefore shall it be far from him.
 
He clothed himself with cursing like as with a raiment, * and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
 
Let it be unto him as the cloak that he hath upon him, * and as the girdle that he is alway girded withal.
 
Let it thus happen from the LORD unto mine enemies, * and to those that speak evil against my soul.
 
But deal thou with me, O LORD God, according unto thy Name; * for sweet is thy mercy.
 
O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, * and my heart is wounded within me.
 
I go hence like the shadow that departeth, * and am driven away as the grasshopper.
 
My knees are weak through fasting; * my flesh is dried up for want of fatness.
 
I am become also a reproach unto them: * they that look upon me shake their heads.
 
Help me, O LORD my God; * O save me according to thy mercy;
 
And they shall know how that this is thy hand, * and that thou, LORD, hast done it.
 
Though they curse, yet bless thou; * and let them be confounded that rise up against me; but let thy servant rejoice.
 
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame; * and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a cloak.
 
As for me, I will give great thanks unto the LORD with my mouth, * and praise him among the multitude;
 
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, * to save his soul from unrighteous judges.

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