Free me from my persecutors
A cry that comes from the depth of the soul, demanding justice.
2 O Lord, my God, in you I take shelter; deliver me and save me from all my pursuers, 3 lest lions tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
4 O Lord, my God, if my hands are stained with guilt – 5 if with evil I have repaid good, if I have plundered unjustly my opponent, 6 let the enemy hound me, let him crush me to the ground and lay down my liver in the dust.
7 Arise, O Lord, in your wrath; rise up against the fury of my foes. Awake, O my God and judge the nations, for the time of judg ment has come.
8 Let the nations gather around you; and you take your seat high above them.
9 Proclaim, O Lord, my righteousness; you see that I am blameless.
10 Bring to an end the power of the wicked, but affirm the just, O righteous God, searcher of mind and heart.
11 You cover me as a shield, Oh God, for you protect the upright.
12 A righteous judge is God, his anger ever awaiting those who re fuse to repent.
13 God has his sword ready and sharpened, his bow bent and arrows aimed.
14 He has in hand, always ready, his deadly weapons and fiery darts.
15 Look at the one who conceived iniquity and is pregnant with mischief: miscarriage will result.
16 He digs a pit and makes it deep, he will fall into the trap he made.
17 His evil intent recoils upon his head; his wicked design comes back in his face.
18 I will rejoice in the Lord for his justice, and sing to the Most High in gratitude and praise.
