| 1 | Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. |
| 2 | Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. |
| 3 | Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation." |
| 4 | Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. |
| 5 | Let them be as chaff before the wind, Yahweh's angel driving them on. |
| 6 | Let their way be dark and slippery, Yahweh's angel pursuing them. |
| 7 | For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. |
| 8 | Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction. |
| 9 | My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh. It shall rejoice in his salvation. |
| 10 | All my bones shall say, "Yahweh, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?" |
| 11 | Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don't know about. |
| 12 | They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul. |
| 13 | But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. |
| 14 | I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. |
| 15 | But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn't know it. They tore at me, and didn't cease. |
| 16 | Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. |
| 17 | Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. |
| 18 | I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. |
| 19 | Don't let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. |
| 20 | For they don't speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. |
| 21 | Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!" |
| 22 | You have seen it, Yahweh. Don't keep silent. Lord, don't be far from me. |
| 23 | Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! |
| 24 | Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness. Don't let them gloat over me. |
| 25 | Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!" |
| 26 | Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. |
| 27 | Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yes, let them say continually, "Yahweh be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!" |
| 28 | My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long. Psalm 36 For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh. |
