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Contend, O LORD, with those who 1contend with me; 2fight against those who fight against me!
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Take hold of 3shield and buckler and rise for my help!
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Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, "I am your salvation!"
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4Let them be 5put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be 6turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!
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Let them be like 7chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
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Let their way be dark and 8slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
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For 9without cause 10they hid their net for me; without cause they dug 11a pit for my life.
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Let 12destruction come upon him 13when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it--to his destruction!
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Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD, 14exulting in his salvation.
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All my 15bones shall say, "O LORD, 16who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?"
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17Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
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18They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
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But I, 19when they were sick-- I 20wore sackcloth; I 21afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed 22with head bowed on my chest.
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I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I 23bowed down in mourning.
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But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; 24wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
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like profane mockers at a feast, they 25gnash at me with their teeth.
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How long, O Lord, will you 26look on? Rescue me from their destruction, 27my precious life from the lions!
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I will thank you in 28the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.
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29Let not those rejoice over me who are 30wrongfully my foes, and let not those 31wink the eye who 32hate me 33without cause.
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For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
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They 34open wide their mouths against me; they say, 35"Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!"
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36You have seen, O LORD; 37be not silent! O Lord, 38be not far from me!
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Awake and 39rouse yourself for 40my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
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41Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and 42let them not rejoice over me!
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Let them not say in their hearts, 43"Aha, our heart's desire!" Let them not say, 44"We have swallowed him up."
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Let them be 45put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be 46clothed with shame and dishonor who 47magnify themselves against me!
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Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad 48and say evermore, 49"Great is the LORD, who 50delights in the welfare of his servant!"
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Then my 51tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.