New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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35
1 Strive, O Lord, with those who strive against me;
fight against those who fight me.
2 Grasp shield and buckler,
and rise up to help me.
3 Uncover the spear and bar the way
against my pursuers.
Let me hear thee declare,
‘I am your salvation.’
4 Shame and disgrace be on those who seek my life;
and may those who plan to hurt me retreat in dismay!
5 May they be like chaff before the wind,
driven by the angel of the Lord!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery
as the angel of the Lord pursues them!
7 For unprovoked they have hidden a net note for me,
unprovoked they have dug a pit to trap me.
8 May destruction unforeseen come on him;
may the net which he hid catch him;
may he crash headlong into it!
9 Then I shall rejoice in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.
10 My very bones cry out,
‘Lord, who is like thee?—
thou saviour of the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and wretched from those who prey on them.’
11 Malicious witnesses step forward;
they question me on matters of which I know nothing.
12 They return me evil for good,
lying in wait note to take my life.
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Book 1
13 And yet when they were sick, I put on sackcloth,
I mortified myself with fasting.
When my prayer came back unanswered,
14 I walked with head bowed in grief as if for a brother;
as one in sorrow for his mother I lay prostrate in mourning.
15 But when I stumbled, they crowded round rejoicing,
they crowded about me;
nameless ruffians note jeered at me
and nothing would stop them.
16 When I slipped, brutes who would mock even a hunchback
ground their teeth at me.
17 O Lord, how long wilt thou look on
at those who hate me for no reason note?
Rescue me out of their cruel grasp,
save my precious life from the unbelievers.
18 Then I will praise thee before a great assembly,
I will extol thee where many people meet.
19 Let no treacherous enemy gloat over me
nor leer at me in triumph. note
20 No friendly greeting do they give
to peaceable folk.
They invent lie upon lie,
21 they open their mouths at me:
‘Hurrah!’ they shout in their joy,
feasting their eyes on me.
22 Thou hast seen all this, O Lord, do not keep silence;
O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Awake, bestir thyself, to do me justice,
to plead my cause, my Lord and my God.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, as thou art true;
do not let them gloat over me.
25 Do not let them say to themselves, ‘Hurrah!
We have swallowed him up at one gulp.’ note
26 Let them all be disgraced and dismayed
who rejoice at my fall;
let them be covered with shame and dishonour
who glory over me.
27 But let all who would see me righted shout for joy,
let them cry continually,
‘All glory to the Lord
who would see his servant thrive!’
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Book 1
28 So shall I talk of thy justice
and of thy praise all the day long.
New English [1970], THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE (OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS; CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE) [word count] [B16000].
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