Good News Translation GNT
New International Version NIV
1 I praise you, God; don't remain silent!
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My God, whom I praise, do not remain silent,
2 Wicked people and liars have attacked me. They tell lies about me,
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for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3 and they say evil things about me, attacking me for no reason.
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With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.
4 They oppose me, even though I love them and have prayed for them.
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In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
5 They pay me back evil for good and hatred for love.
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They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.
6 Choose some corrupt judge to try my enemy, and let one of his own enemies accuse him.
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Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 May he be tried and found guilty; may even his prayer be considered a crime!
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When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his life soon be ended; may someone else take his job!
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May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children become orphans, and his wife a widow!
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May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be homeless beggars; may they be driven from the ruins they live in!
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May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.
11 May his creditors take away all his property, and may strangers get everything he worked for.
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May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one ever be kind to him or care for the orphans he leaves behind.
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May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May all his descendants die, and may his name be forgotten in the next generation.
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May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.
14 May the Lord remember the evil of his ancestors and never forgive his mother's sins.
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May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May the Lord always remember their sins, but may they themselves be completely forgotten!
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May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may blot out their name from the earth.
16 That man never thought of being kind; he persecuted and killed the poor, the needy, and the helpless.
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For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.
17 He loved to curse - may he be cursed! He hated to give blessings - may no one bless him!
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He loved to pronounce a curse— may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing— may it be far from him.
18 He cursed as naturally as he dressed himself; may his own curses soak into his body like water and into his bones like oil!
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He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.
19 May they cover him like clothes and always be around him like a belt!
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May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
20 Lord, punish my enemies in that way - those who say such evil things against me!
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May this be the LORD’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.
21 But my Sovereign Lord, help me as you have promised, and rescue me because of the goodness of your love.
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But you, Sovereign LORD, help me for your name’s sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22 I am poor and needy; I am hurt to the depths of my heart.
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For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23 Like an evening shadow I am about to vanish; I am blown away like an insect.
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I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak from lack of food; I am nothing but skin and bones.
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My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.
25 When people see me, they laugh at me; they shake their heads in scorn.
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I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God; because of your constant love, save me!
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Help me, LORD my God; save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Make my enemies know that you are the one who saves me.
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Let them know that it is your hand, that you, LORD, have done it.
28 They may curse me, but you will bless me. May my persecutors be defeated, and may I, your servant, be glad.
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While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
29 May my enemies be covered with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
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May my accusers be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
30 I will give loud thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the assembly of the people,
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With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
31 because he defends the poor and saves them from those who condemn them to death.
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For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.