Prayer for Victory

Davidic.

1Oppose my opponents, LORD;

fight those who fight me.a

2Take Your shields — large and small —

and come to my aid.b

3Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,

and assure me: “I am your deliverance.”c

4Let those who seek to kill me

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who plan to harm me

be turned back and ashamed.d

5Let them be like chaff in the wind,

with the angel of the LORD driving them away.e

6Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.f

7They hid their net for me without cause;

they dug a pit for me without cause.g

8Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,

and let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it — to his ruin.h

9Then I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will delight in His deliverance.i

10My very bones will say,

“LORD, who is like You,j

rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,

the poor or the needy from one who robs him? ”k

11Malicious witnesses come forward;

they question me about things I do not know.l

12They repay me evil for good,

making me desolate.m

13Yet when they were sick,

my clothing was •sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

and my prayer was genuine.n, o

14I went about grieving as if for my friend or brother;

I was bowed down with grief,

like one mourning a mother.p

15But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;

they gathered against me.

Assailants I did not know

tore at me and did not stop.q

16With godless mockeryr

they gnashed their teeth at me.s

17Lord, how long will You look on?t

Rescue my life from their ravages,

my only one from the young lions.u

18I will praise You in the great congregation;

I will exalt You among many people.v

19Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me;

do not let those who hate me without causew

look at me maliciously.x

20For they do not speak in friendly ways,

but contrive deceitful schemesy

against those who live peacefully in the land.z

21They open their mouths wide against me and say,

“Aha, aha! We saw it! ”aa, ab

22You saw it, LORD; do not be silent.

Lord, do not be far from me.ac

23Wake up and rise to my defense,

to my cause, my God and my LORD!ad

24Vindicate me, LORD my God,

in keeping with Your righteousness,

and do not let them rejoice over me.ae

25Do not let them say in their hearts,

“Aha! Just what we wanted.”

Do not let them say,

“We have swallowed him up! ”af

26Let those who rejoice at my misfortune

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who exalt themselves over me

be clothed with shame and reproach.ag

27Let those who want my vindication

shout for joy and be glad;

let them continually say,

“The LORD be exalted.

He takes pleasure in His servant’s well-being.”ah

28And my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness,

Your praise all day long.ai