New International Version NIV
New Century Version NCV
1 Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
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Lord, battle with those who battle with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid.
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Pick up the shield and armor. Rise up and help me.
3 Brandish spear and javelinagainst those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.”
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Lift up your spears, both large and small, against those who chase me. Tell me, "I will save you."
4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.
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Make those who want to kill me be ashamed and disgraced. Make those who plan to harm me turn back and run away.
5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
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Make them like chaff blown by the wind as the angel of the Lord forces them away.
6 may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
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Let their road be dark and slippery as the angel of the Lord chases them.
7 Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
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For no reason they spread out their net to trap me; for no reason they dug a pit for me.
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
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So let ruin strike them suddenly. Let them be caught in their own nets; let them fall into the pit and die.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
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Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy when he saves me.
10 My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
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Even my bones will say, "Lord, who is like you? You save the weak from the strong, the weak and poor from robbers."
11 Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.
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Men without mercy stand up to testify. They ask me things I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.
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They repay me with evil for the good I have done, and they make me very sad.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
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Yet when they were sick, I put on clothes of sadness and showed my sorrow by going without food. But my prayers were not answered.
14 I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.
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I acted as if they were my friends or brothers. I bowed in sadness as if I were crying for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing.
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But when I was in trouble, they gathered and laughed; they gathered to attack before I knew it. They insulted me without stopping.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;they gnashed their teeth at me.
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They made fun of me and were cruel to me and ground their teeth at me in anger.
17 How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
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Lord, how long will you watch this happen? Save my life from their attacks; save me from these people who are like lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.
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I will praise you in the great meeting. I will praise you among crowds of people.
19 Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.
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Do not let my enemies laugh at me; they hate me for no reason. Do not let them make fun of me; they have no cause to hate me.
20 They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.
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Their words are not friendly but are lies about peace-loving people.
21 They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.”
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They speak against me and say, "Aha! We saw what you did!"
22 LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord.
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Lord, you have been watching. Do not keep quiet. Lord, do not leave me alone.
23 Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.
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Wake up! Come and defend me! My God and Lord, fight for me!
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.
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Lord my God, defend me with your justice. Don't let them laugh at me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!” or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
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Don't let them think, "Aha! We got what we wanted!" Don't let them say, "We destroyed him."
26 May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.
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Let them be ashamed and embarrassed, because they were happy when I hurt. Cover them with shame and disgrace, because they thought they were better than I was.
27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
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May my friends sing and shout for joy. May they always say, "Praise the greatness of the Lord, who loves to see his servants do well."
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.
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I will tell of your goodness and will praise you every day. For the director of music. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
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.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.