The Song of the Slandered

1O God of my praise, be not silent.

2For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.

3They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.

4In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

7When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.

8May his days be few; may another take his position. ²³⁶

9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

10May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance ²³⁷far from their ruined homes.

11May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

12May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.

13May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.

14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

15May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.

16For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted,
even to their death.

17The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.

18The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water,
and into his bones like oil.

19May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.

20May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.

21But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name;
deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.

22For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.

23I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.

24My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.

25I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

26Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.

27Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.

28Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame,
but Your servant will rejoice.

29May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.

30With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.

31For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.