109 Deus, laudem 1 Hold not your tongue, O God of my praise, * for the mouth of the ungodly, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me. 2 They have spoken against me with false tongues; * they encompassed me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. 3 In return for the love that I had for them, they have become my adversaries; * but I give myself to prayer. 417 4 Thus have they rewarded me evil for good, * and hatred for my love. 5 Set an ungodly man to be ruler over him, * and let an accuser stand at his right hand. 6 When judgment is given, let him be condemned, * and let sentence be passed on him for guilt. 7 Let his days be few, * and let another take his office. 8 Let his children be fatherless * and his wife a widow. 9 Let his children be vagabonds and beg their bread; * let them be driven out, even from desolate places. 10 Let the creditor consume all that he has, * and let strangers take his labor for spoil. 11 Let there be no one to pity him, * nor to have compassion upon his fatherless children. 12 Let his posterity be destroyed, * and in the next generation let his name be blotted out. 13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be held in remembrance in the sight of the Lord, * and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. 14 Let them be always before the Lord, * that he may root out the memorial of them from the earth, 15 Because he was not minded to do good, * but persecuted to death the poor and needy, and those who were brokenhearted. 16 His delight was in cursing; let curses come upon him; * he loved not blessing; therefore let it be far from him. 17 He clothed himself with cursing as with a garment, * so let it soak into his body like water, and like oil into his bones. 18 Let it be to him as the cloak that he has on * and as the belt that he always wears. d a y 2 2 : e v e n i n g p r a y e r | p s a l m 1 0 9 |418 t h e p s a l t e r 19 Let this be the recompense from the Lord to my enemies, * and to those who speak evil against my soul. 20 But deal with me, O Lord God, according to your Name; * for sweet is your mercy. 21 O deliver me, for I am helpless and poor, * and my heart is wounded within me. 22 I disappear like the shadow that lengthens, * and am shaken off like a grasshopper. 23 My knees are weak through fasting; * my flesh is grown lean for want of nourishment. 24 I have become a reproach to them; * when they look on me, they shake their heads. 25 Help me, O Lord my God; * save me according to your mercy; 26 And they shall know that this is your hand, * and that you, O Lord, have done it. 27 Though they curse, yet you bless; * let them be confounded who rise up against me, but let your servant rejoice. 28 Let my adversaries be clothed with shame, * and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a cloak. 29 As for me, I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth, * and praise him among the multitude, 30 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, * to save their souls from the unrighteous judges.