Hold not thy tongue, O God | of my praise;

* for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the de- | -ceitful• is •opened• upon me.

2 And they have spoken against me with | false tongues;

* they compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against | me without a cause.

3 For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take now my | con•trary• part;

* but I | give my•self unto prayer.

4 Thus have they rewarded me | evil• for good,

* and | hatred• for my good will.

5 Set thou an ungodly man to be ruler | over him,

* and let an adversary stand | at his right hand.

6 When sentence is given upon him, let him | be condemned;

* and let his prayer be | turned into sin.

7 Let his | days be few;

* and let an- | -other 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 seek it also | out of •deso•late places.

10 Let the extortioner consume | all that• he hath;

* and let the | stranger spoil his labour.

11 Let there be no man to | pity him,

* nor to have compassion up- | -on his fatherless children.

12 Let his posterity | be destroyed;

* and in the next generation let his | name be clean put out.

13 Let the wickedness of his fathers be had in remembrance in the sight | of the LORD;

* and let not the sin of his | mother• be done away.

14 Let them alway be be- | -fore the LORD,

* that he may root out the memorial of | them from off the earth;

15 And that, because his mind was | not to• do good;

* but persecuted the poor helpless man, that he might slay him that was | vexed at the heart.

16 His delight was in cursing, and it shall happen | unto him;

* he loved not blessing, therefore shall | it be far from him.

17 He clothed himself with cursing like as | with a raiment,

* and it shall come into his bowels like water, and like | oil •into• his bones.

18 Let it be unto him as the cloak that he | hath upon him,

* and as the girdle that he is | alway •girded• withal.

19 Let it thus happen from the LORD | unto• mine enemies,

* and to those that speak | evil• against my soul.

20 But deal thou with me, O LORD God, according | unto• thy Name;

* for | sweet is thy mercy.

21 O deliver me, for I am | helpless• and poor,

* and my | heart is •wounded• within me.

22 I go hence like the shadow | that departeth,

* and am driven a- | -way as the grasshopper.

23 My knees are | weak through fasting;

* my flesh is dried | up for want of fatness.

24 I am become also a reproach | unto them:

* they that look up- | -on me shake their heads.

25 Help me, O | LORD my God;

* O save me ac- | -cording to thy mercy;

26 And they shall know how that this is | thy hand,

* and that | thou, LORD, hast done it.

27 Though they curse, yet | bless thou;

* and let them be confounded that rise up against me; but | let thy •servant• rejoice.

28 Let mine adversaries be | clothed with shame;

* and let them cover themselves with their own con- | -fusion•, 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 his soul | from unrighteous judges.

Glory be to the Father, and | to the Son,

* and | to the Holy Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and | ever shall be,

* world without | end.  Amen.