1-3. Harass these hecklers, God,punch these bullies in the nose.Grab a weapon, anything at hand;stand up for me!Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin,at the people who are out to get me.Reassure me; let me hear you say,“I’ll save you.”
4-8. When those thugs try to knife me in the back,make them look foolish.Frustrate all thosewho are plotting my downfall.Make them like cinders in a high wind,with God’s angel working the bellows.Make their road lightless and mud-slick,with God’s angel on their tails.Out of sheer cussedness they set a trap to catch me;for no good reason they dug a ditch to stop me.Surprise them with your ambush—catch them in the very trap they set,the disaster they planned for me.
9-10. But let me run loose and free,celebrating God’s great work,Every bone in my body laughing, singing, “God,there’s no one like you.You put the down-and-out on their feetand protect the unprotected from bullies!”
11-12. Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere,they stand up and badger me.They pay me back misery for mercy,leaving my soul empty.
13-14. When they were sick, I dressed in black;instead of eating, I prayed.My prayers were like lead in my gut,like I’d lost my best friend, my brother.I paced, distraught as a motherless child,hunched and heavyhearted.
15-16. But when I was downthey threw a party!All the nameless riffraff of the town camechanting insults about me.Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,they destroyed my reputation.
17-18. God, how long are you goingto stand there doing nothing?Save me from their brutalities;everything I’ve got is being thrown to the lions.I will give you full creditwhen everyone gathers for worship;When the people turn out in forceI will say my Hallelujahs.
19-21. Don’t let these liars, my enemies,have a party at my expense,Those who hate me for no reason,winking and rolling their eyes.No good is going to comefrom that crowd;They spend all their time cooking up gossipagainst those who mind their own business.They open their mouthsin ugly grins,Mocking, “Ha-ha, ha-ha, thought you’d get away with it?We’ve caught you hands down!”