1 Contend, O Lord, with those who acontend with me; Fight against those who bfight against me. 2 Take hold of abuckler and shield And rise up for bmy help. 3 Draw also the spear and the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, "I am ayour salvation." 4 Let those be aashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be bturned back and humiliated who devise evil against me. 5 Let them be alike chaff before the wind, With the angel of the Lord driving them on. 6 Let their way be dark and aslippery, With the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 7 For awithout cause they bhid their net for me; Without cause they dug a pit for my soul. 8 Let adestruction come upon him unawares, And blet the net which he hid catch himself; Into that very cdestruction let him fall. 9 And my soul shall arejoice in the Lord; It shall bexult in His salvation. 10 All my abones will say, "Lord, bwho is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him cwho is too strong for him, And dthe afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?" 11 aMalicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They arepay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. 13 But as for me, awhen they were sick, my bclothing was sackcloth; I chumbled my soul with fasting, And my dprayer kept returning to my bosom. 14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I abowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. 15 But aat my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The bsmiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They cslandered me without ceasing. 16 Like godless jesters at a feast, They agnashed at me with their teeth. 17 Lord, ahow long will You look on? Rescue my soul bfrom their ravages, My conly life from the lions. 18 I will agive You thanks in the great congregation; I will bpraise You among a mighty throng. 19 aDo not let those who are wrongfully bmy enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those cwho hate me without cause dwink maliciously. 20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise adeceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21 They aopened their mouth wide against me; They said, "bAha, aha, our eyes have seen it!" 22 aYou have seen it, O Lord, bdo not keep silent; O Lord, cdo not be far from me. 23 aStir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 aJudge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness, And bdo not let them rejoice over me. 25 Do not let them say in their heart, "aAha, our desire!" Do not let them say, "We have bswallowed him up!" 26 Let athose be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be bclothed with shame and dishonor who cmagnify themselves over me. 27 Let them ashout for joy and rejoice, who favor bmy vindication; And clet them say continually, "The Lord be magnified, Who ddelights in the prosperity of His servant." 28 And amy tongue shall declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.