The song of the slandered
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TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF DAVID. O God of my praise, do not be silent,
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For the mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit, || They have opened against me, || They have spoken with me—A tongue of falsehood, and words of hatred!
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They have surrounded me about, || And they fight me without cause.
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For my love they oppose me, and I—prayer!
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And they set against me evil for good, || And hatred for my love.
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Appoint the wicked over him, || And an adversary stands at his right hand.
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In his being judged, he goes forth wicked, || And his prayer is for sin.
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His days are few, another takes his oversight,
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His sons are fatherless, and his wife a widow.
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And his sons wander continually, || Indeed, they have begged, || And have sought out of their dry places.
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An exactor lays a snare for all that he has, || And strangers spoil his labor.
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He has none to extend kindness, || Nor is there one showing favor to his orphans.
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His posterity is for cutting off, || Their name is blotted out in another generation.
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The iniquity of his fathers || Is remembered to YHWH, || And the sin of his mother is not blotted out.
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They are continually before YHWH, || And He cuts off their memorial from earth.
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Because that he has not remembered to do kindness, || And pursues the poor man and needy, || And the struck of heart—to slay,
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And he loves reviling, and it meets him, || And he has not delighted in blessing, || And it is far from him.
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And he puts on reviling as his robe, || And it comes in as water into his midst, || And as oil into his bones.
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It is to him as apparel—he covers himself, || And he girds it on for a continual girdle.
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This [is] the wage of my accusers from YHWH, || And of those speaking evil against my soul.
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And You, O Lord YHWH, || Deal with me for Your Name’s sake, || Because Your kindness [is] good, deliver me.
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For I [am] poor and needy, || And my heart has been pierced in my midst.
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I have gone as a shadow when it is stretched out, || I have been driven away as a locust.
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My knees have been feeble from fasting, || And my flesh has failed of fatness.
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And I have been a reproach to them, || They see me, they shake their head.
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Help me, O YHWH my God, || Save me, according to Your kindness.
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And they know that this [is] Your hand, || You, O YHWH, You have done it.
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They revile, and You bless, || They have risen, and are ashamed, || And Your servant rejoices.
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My accusers put on blushing, and are covered, || Their shame [is] as an upper robe.
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I thank YHWH greatly with my mouth, || And I praise Him in the midst of many,
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For He stands at the right hand of the needy, || To save from those judging his soul.
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