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Psalm 101

A Sovereign’s Pledge of Integrity and Justice

Of David. A Psalm.
¹ I will sing of loyalty and of justice;
   to you, O Lord, I will sing.
² I will study the way that is blameless.
   When shall I attain it?

I will walk with integrity of heart
   within my house;
³ I will not set before my eyes
   anything that is base.

I hate the work of those who fall away;
   it shall not cling to me.
⁴ Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;
   I will know nothing of evil.

⁵ One who secretly slanders a neighbour
   I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart
   I will not tolerate.

⁶ I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,
   so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless
   shall minister to me.

⁷ No one who practises deceit
   shall remain in my house;
no one who utters lies
   shall continue in my presence.

⁸ Morning by morning I will destroy
   all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all evildoers
   from the city of the Lord.

Psalm 109

Prayer for Vindication and Vengeance

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
¹ Do not be silent, O God of my praise.
² For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
   speaking against me with lying tongues.
³ They beset me with words of hate,
   and attack me without cause.
⁴ In return for my love they accuse me,
   even while I make prayer for them.^*
5 So they reward me evil for good,
   and hatred for my love.

⁶ They say,^* ‘Appoint a wicked man against him;
   let an accuser stand on his right.
⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
   let his prayer be counted as sin.
⁸ May his days be few;
   may another seize his position.
⁹ May his children be orphans,
   and his wife a widow.
¹⁰ May his children wander about and beg;
   may they be driven out of^* the ruins they inhabit.
¹¹ May the creditor seize all that he has;
   may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
¹² May there be no one to do him a kindness,
   nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.
¹³ May his posterity be cut off;
   may his name be blotted out in the second generation.
¹⁴ May the iniquity of his father^* be remembered before the Lord,
   and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
¹⁵ Let them be before the Lord continually,
   and may his^* memory be cut off from the earth.
¹⁶ For he did not remember to show kindness,
   but pursued the poor and needy
   and the broken-hearted to their death.
¹⁷ He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
   He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.
¹⁸ He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
   may it soak into his body like water,
   like oil into his bones.
¹⁹ May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
   like a belt that he wears every day.’

²⁰ May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
   of those who speak evil against my life.
²¹ But you, O Lord my Lord,
   act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
   because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.
²² For I am poor and needy,
   and my heart is pierced within me.
²³ I am gone like a shadow at evening;
   I am shaken off like a locust.
²⁴ My knees are weak through fasting;
   my body has become gaunt.
²⁵ I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
   when they see me, they shake their heads.

²⁶ Help me, O Lord my God!
   Save me according to your steadfast love.
²⁷ Let them know that this is your hand;
   you, O Lord, have done it.
²⁸ Let them curse, but you will bless.
   Let my assailants be put to shame;^* may your servant be glad.
²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
   may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.
³⁰ With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
   I will praise him in the midst of the throng.