[1] I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!
[2] If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion, tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
[3] O Lord my God, if I have done wrong or am guilty of injustice,
[4] if I have betrayed a friend or plundered my enemy without cause,
[5] then let my enemies capture me. Let them trample me into the ground and drag my honor in the dust. Interlude
[6] Arise, O Lord, in anger! Stand up against the fury of my enemies! Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
[7] Gather the nations before you. Rule over them from on high.
[8] The Lord judges the nations. Declare me righteous, O Lord, for I am innocent, O Most High!
[9] End the evil of those who are wicked, and defend the righteous. For you look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.
[10] God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right.
[11] God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.
[12] If a person does not repent, God will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.
[13] He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.
[14] The wicked conceive evil; they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.
[15] They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
[16] The trouble they make for others backfires on them. The violence they plan falls on their own heads.
[17] I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.