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109:1  For the director of music. A psalm of David. God, I praise you. Do not be silent.
109:2  ·Wicked [L The mouth of evil] people and ·liars [L the mouth of deceivers] have ·spoken [L opened] against me; they ·have told lies about me [L speak against me with lying tongues].
109:3  They have ·said hateful things about me [L surrounded me with hateful words] and attack me for no reason.
109:4  They ·attacked [accuse; charge] me, ·even though I loved them and prayed for them [in return for my love and prayer].
109:5  I was good to them, but they ·repay [reward] me with evil. I loved them, but they hate me in return.
109:6  They say about me [C this added phrase suggests another speaker, or perhaps the psalmist is speaking about his accusers], “·Have an evil person work [L Appoint an evil person] against him, and let an ·accuser [adversary] stand ·against him [L at his right hand; Job 1:6].
109:7  When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let even his prayers ·show [be counted as] his ·guilt [sin].
109:8  Let his ·life [L days] be ·cut short [brief], and let another man ·replace him as leader [take his position/office; Acts 1:20].
109:9  Let his children become orphans and his wife a widow [C socially vulnerable, dependent on others].
109:10  Make his children wander around, begging for food [Jer. 18:21]. Let them be forced out of the ruins in which they live.
109:11  Let ·the people to whom he owes money [creditors] ·take [ensnare] everything he owns [2 Kin. 4:1], and let strangers ·steal [plunder] everything he has worked for.
109:12  Let no one ·show [extend to] him ·love [loyalty] or have ·mercy [compassion] on his orphaned children.
109:13  Let all his descendants ·die [L be cut off] and ·be forgotten [L their name be blotted/wiped out] by ·those who live after him [L a later generation].
109:14  Lord, ·remember how wicked his ancestors were [L let the guilt of his fathers be remembered], and don’t let the sins of his mother be ·wiped [blotted] out.
109:15  ·Lord, always remember their sins [L Let them be before the Lord forever]. ·Then make people forget about them completely [L Let memory of them be cut off from the land].
109:16  “He did not remember to be ·loving [loyal]. He ·hurt [persecuted; L pursued] the poor, the needy, and those who were ·sad [depressed; L brokenhearted] ·until they were nearly dead [L to their death].
109:17  He loved to put curses on others, so let those same curses ·fall on [L come to] him. He did not like to bless others, so ·do not let good things happen to him [L let them (blessings) be far from him].
109:18  He ·cursed others as often as he wore clothes [L wore curses like a coat]. ·Cursing others filled his body and his life, like drinking water and using olive oil [L Let them come like water in his innards and like oil in his bones].
109:19  So let curses ·cover [wrap] him like ·clothes [a garment] and ·wrap around him like a belt [L continually gird him].”
109:20  May the Lord do these things to those who ·accuse [charge] me, to those who speak evil against me.
109:21  But you, Lord God, ·be kind to me so others will know you are good [L act on my behalf for the sake of your name]. Because your ·love [loyalty] is good, ·save [protect] me.
109:22  I am poor and helpless and ·very sad [L my heart is pierced/wounded in me].
109:23  I am ·dying [L gone] like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24  My knees ·are weak [buckle; stumble] from fasting, and ·I have grown thin [L my flesh is lean of fat].
109:25  ·My enemies insult me [L I am a reproach to them]; they look at me and shake their heads [C in scorn].
109:26  Lord my God, help me; because you are ·loving [loyal], ·save me [give me victory].
109:27  Then they will know that ·your power has done this [L this is your hand]; they will know that you have done it, Lord.
109:28  They may curse me, but you bless me. They may ·attack [L rise against] me, but they will be ·disgraced [embarrassed]. Then I, your servant, will be glad.
109:29  Let those who ·accuse [charge; attack] me be ·disgraced [L clothed with disgrace] and ·covered [wrapped up] with shame like a coat.
109:30  I will ·thank [praise] the Lord very much [L with my mouth]; I will praise him in ·front [the midst] of many people.
109:31  He ·defends [L stands at the right hand of] the helpless and ·saves them from [gives them victory over] those who ·accuse [judge] them.