Psalm 109 Text
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Psalm 109/Text
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May his days be few!
Psalm 109
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Listen & Read: Psalm 109
Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 109. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.
| Simple Reading (Hebrew) |
Simple Reading (English) |
| Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) |
Dramatic Reading (English) |
Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר | 1a | For the director. By David. A psalm. |
| אֱלֹהֵי תְהִלָּתִי אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַֽשׁ׃ | 1b | God whom I praise, do not stay silent! |
| כִּי פִי רָשָׁע וּֽפִי־מִרְמָה עָלַי פָּתָחוּ | 2a | For they have opened their wicked and deceitful mouths against me. |
| דִּבְּרוּ אִתִּי לְשׁוֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 2b | They have spoken with me with lying tongues. |
| וְדִבְרֵי שִׂנְאָה סְבָבוּנִי | 3a | And they have surrounded me with hateful words, |
| וַיִּֽלָּחֲמוּנִי חִנָּֽם׃ | 3b | and they have fought against me for no reason. |
| תַּֽחַת־אַהֲבָתִי יִשְׂטְנוּנִי | 4a | In exchange for my love they accuse me |
| וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּֽה׃ | 4b | —though I am devoted to prayer— |
| וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלַי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה | 5a | And they give me wrong in exchange for good |
| וְשִׂנְאָה תַּחַת אַהֲבָתִֽי׃ | 5b | and hate in exchange for my love. |
| הַפְקֵד עָלָיו רָשָׁע | 6a | Appoint a wicked person against him, |
| וְשָׂטָן יַעֲמֹד עַל־יְמִינֽוֹ׃ | 6b | and may an accuser stand at his right! |
| בְּהִשָּׁפְטוֹ יֵצֵא רָשָׁע | 7a | When he is judged, may he come away guilty, |
| וּתְפִלָּתוֹ תִּהְיֶה לַֽחֲטָאָֽה׃ | 7b | and may his prayer become a sin! |
| יִֽהְיֽוּ־יָמָיו מְעַטִּים | 8a | May his days be few! |
| פְּקֻדָּתוֹ יִקַּח אַחֵֽר׃ | 8b | May someone else take his position! |
| יִֽהְיוּ־בָנָיו יְתוֹמִים | 9a | May his children become fatherless, |
| וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ | 9b | and his wife [become] a widow! |
| וְנוֹעַ יָנוּעוּ בָנָיו וְשִׁאֵלוּ | 10a | And may his children aimlessly wander from their ruins |
| וְדָרְשׁוּ מֵחָרְבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ | 10b | and beg and plead! |
| יְנַקֵּשׁ נוֹשֶׁה לְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ | 11a | May a lender seize everything belonging to him, |
| וְיָבֹזּוּ זָרִים יְגִיעֽוֹ׃ | 11b | and may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor! |
| אַל־יְהִי־לוֹ מֹשֵׁךְ חָסֶד | 12a | May he have no one to maintain loyalty, |
| וְֽאַל־יְהִי חוֹנֵן לִיתוֹמָֽיו׃ | 12b | and may his fatherless children have no one to show them mercy! |
| יְהִֽי־אַחֲרִיתוֹ לְהַכְרִית | 13a | May his posterity be doomed to destruction! |
| בְּדוֹר אַחֵר יִמַּח שְׁמָֽם׃ | 13b | May their name be wiped out in the next generation! |
| יִזָּכֵר ׀ עֲוֺן אֲבֹתָיו אֶל־יְהוָה | 14a | May his ancestors' iniquities be brought to YHWH's remembrance, |
| וְחַטַּאת אִמּוֹ אַל־תִּמָּֽח׃ | 14b | and may his mother's sin not be wiped away! |
| יִהְיוּ נֶֽגֶד־יְהוָה תָּמִיד | 15a | May they always be before YHWH, |
| וְיַכְרֵת מֵאֶרֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃ | 15b | so that he destroys their memory from the earth! |
| יַעַן אֲשֶׁר ׀ לֹא זָכַר עֲשׂוֹת חָסֶד | 16a | Because he was not mindful to show loyalty, |
| וַיִּרְדֹּף אִישׁ־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן | 16b | and he persecuted someone afflicted and poor |
| וְנִכְאֵה לֵבָב לְמוֹתֵֽת׃ | 16c | and disheartened to finish him off. |
| וַיֶּאֱהַב קְלָלָה *וּתְבוֹאֵהוּ* | 17a | And he loves cursing, and so it will come upon him, |
| וְֽלֹא־חָפֵץ בִּבְרָכָה *וְתִרְחַק* מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 17b | and he takes no pleasure in blessing, and so it will stay far from him. |
| וַיִּלְבַּשׁ קְלָלָה כְּמַדּוֹ | 18a | And he put on a curse like his garment, |
| וַתָּבֹא כַמַּיִם בְּקִרְבּוֹ | 18b | and it went inside him like water |
| וְכַשֶּׁמֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃ | 18c | and into his body like oil. |
| תְּהִי־לוֹ כְּבֶגֶד יַעְטֶה | 19a | May it be for him like clothes [that] he wears, |
| וּלְמֵזַח תָּמִיד יַחְגְּרֶֽהָ׃ | 19b | and [may it become] a belt [that] he always puts on! |
| זֹאת פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי מֵאֵת יְהוָה | 20a | This is what my accusers, those who speak evil against me, have earned from YHWH. |
| וְהַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל־נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 20b | |
| וְאַתָּה ׀ יְהוִה אֲדֹנָי עֲֽשֵׂה־אִתִּי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ | 21a | But you, YHWH, Lord, take action for me, for the sake of your name! |
| כִּי־טוֹב חַסְדְּךָ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃ | 21b | Because your loyalty is good, rescue me! |
| כִּֽי־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָנֹכִי | 22a | For I am afflicted and poor, |
| וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ | 22b | and my heart is in anguish inside me. |
| כְּצֵל־כִּנְטוֹתוֹ נֶהֱלָכְתִּי | 23a | Like a shadow when it is stretched out, I have faded. |
| נִנְעַרְתִּי כָּֽאַרְבֶּֽה׃ | 23b | I have been shaken off like a locust. |
| בִּרְכַּי כָּשְׁלוּ מִצּוֹם | 24a | My knees have faltered from fasting, |
| וּבְשָׂרִי כָּחַשׁ מִשָּֽׁמֶן׃ | 24b | and my body has become gaunt, without any fat. |
| וַאֲנִי׀ הָיִיתִי חֶרְפָּה לָהֶם | 25a | And I have become an object of scorn to them. |
| יִרְאוּנִי יְנִיעוּן רֹאשָֽׁם׃ | 25b | When they see me, they shake their heads. |
| עָזְרֵנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי | 26a | Help me, YHWH, my God! |
| הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי כְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ | 26b | Save me according to your loyalty, |
| וְֽיֵדְעוּ כִּי־יָדְךָ זֹּאת | 27a | so that they know that this is your doing; |
| אַתָּה יְהוָה עֲשִׂיתָֽהּ׃ | 27b | [that] you, YHWH, have done it. |
| יְקַֽלְלוּ־הֵמָּה וְאַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ | 28a | Let them curse! But you will bless. |
| *קָמַי יֵבֹשׁוּ* וְֽעַבְדְּךָ יִשְׂמָֽח׃ | 28b | Those who have risen up against me will come to shame, but your servant will rejoice. |
| יִלְבְּשׁוּ שׂוֹטְנַי כְּלִמָּה | 29a | My accusers will be clothed in dishonor |
| וְיַעֲטוּ כַמְעִיל בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃ | 29b | and wear their shame like a robe. |
| אוֹדֶה יְהוָה מְאֹד בְּפִי | 30a | I will fully acknowledge YHWH with my mouth, |
| וּבְתוֹךְ רַבִּים אֲהַֽלְלֶֽנּוּ׃ | 30b | and I will praise him in the midst of many people. |
| כִּֽי־יַעֲמֹד לִימִין אֶבְיוֹן | 31a | For he stands at a poor person's right, |
| לְהוֹשִׁיעַ מִשֹּׁפְטֵי נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ | 31b | to save him from those who condemn him to death. |
Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר | 1a | For the director. By David. A psalm. |
| אֱלֹהֵי תְהִלָּתִי אַֽל־תֶּחֱרַֽשׁ׃ | 1b | God whom I praise, do not stay silent! |
| כִּי פִי רָשָׁע וּֽפִי־מִרְמָה עָלַי פָּתָחוּ | 2a | For they have opened their wicked and deceitful mouths against me. |
| דִּבְּרוּ אִתִּי לְשׁוֹן שָֽׁקֶר׃ | 2b | They have spoken with me with lying tongues. |
| וְדִבְרֵי שִׂנְאָה סְבָבוּנִי | 3a | And they have surrounded me with hateful words, |
| וַיִּֽלָּחֲמוּנִי חִנָּֽם׃ | 3b | and they have fought against me for no reason. |
| תַּֽחַת־אַהֲבָתִי יִשְׂטְנוּנִי | 4a | In exchange for my love they accuse me |
| וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּֽה׃ | 4b | —though I am devoted to prayer— |
| וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלַי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה | 5a | And they give me wrong in exchange for good |
| וְשִׂנְאָה תַּחַת אַהֲבָתִֽי׃ | 5b | and hate in exchange for my love. |
| הַפְקֵד עָלָיו רָשָׁע | 6a | Appoint a wicked person against him, |
| וְשָׂטָן יַעֲמֹד עַל־יְמִינֽוֹ׃ | 6b | and may an accuser stand at his right! |
| בְּהִשָּׁפְטוֹ יֵצֵא רָשָׁע | 7a | When he is judged, may he come away guilty, |
| וּתְפִלָּתוֹ תִּהְיֶה לַֽחֲטָאָֽה׃ | 7b | and may his prayer become a sin! |
| יִֽהְיֽוּ־יָמָיו מְעַטִּים | 8a | May his days be few! |
| פְּקֻדָּתוֹ יִקַּח אַחֵֽר׃ | 8b | May someone else take his position! |
| יִֽהְיוּ־בָנָיו יְתוֹמִים | 9a | May his children become fatherless, |
| וְאִשְׁתּוֹ אַלְמָנָֽה׃ | 9b | and his wife [become] a widow! |
| וְנוֹעַ יָנוּעוּ בָנָיו וְשִׁאֵלוּ | 10a | And may his children aimlessly wander from their ruins |
| וְדָרְשׁוּ מֵחָרְבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ | 10b | and beg and plead! |
| יְנַקֵּשׁ נוֹשֶׁה לְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ | 11a | May a lender seize everything belonging to him, |
| וְיָבֹזּוּ זָרִים יְגִיעֽוֹ׃ | 11b | and may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor! |
| אַל־יְהִי־לוֹ מֹשֵׁךְ חָסֶד | 12a | May he have no one to maintain loyalty, |
| וְֽאַל־יְהִי חוֹנֵן לִיתוֹמָֽיו׃ | 12b | and may his fatherless children have no one to show them mercy! |
| יְהִֽי־אַחֲרִיתוֹ לְהַכְרִית | 13a | May his posterity be doomed to destruction! |
| בְּדוֹר אַחֵר יִמַּח שְׁמָֽם׃ | 13b | May their name be wiped out in the next generation! |
| יִזָּכֵר ׀ עֲוֺן אֲבֹתָיו אֶל־יְהוָה | 14a | May his ancestors' iniquities be brought to YHWH's remembrance, |
| וְחַטַּאת אִמּוֹ אַל־תִּמָּֽח׃ | 14b | and may his mother's sin not be wiped away! |
| יִהְיוּ נֶֽגֶד־יְהוָה תָּמִיד | 15a | May they always be before YHWH, |
| וְיַכְרֵת מֵאֶרֶץ זִכְרָֽם׃ | 15b | so that he destroys their memory from the earth! |
| יַעַן אֲשֶׁר ׀ לֹא זָכַר עֲשׂוֹת חָסֶד | 16a | Because he was not mindful to show loyalty, |
| וַיִּרְדֹּף אִישׁ־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן | 16b | and he persecuted someone afflicted and poor |
| וְנִכְאֵה לֵבָב לְמוֹתֵֽת׃ | 16c | and disheartened to finish him off. |
| וַיֶּאֱהַב קְלָלָה *וּתְבוֹאֵהוּ* | 17a | And he loves cursing, and so it will come upon him, |
| וְֽלֹא־חָפֵץ בִּבְרָכָה *וְתִרְחַק* מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | 17b | and he takes no pleasure in blessing, and so it will stay far from him. |
| וַיִּלְבַּשׁ קְלָלָה כְּמַדּוֹ | 18a | And he put on a curse like his garment, |
| וַתָּבֹא כַמַּיִם בְּקִרְבּוֹ | 18b | and it went inside him like water |
| וְכַשֶּׁמֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃ | 18c | and into his body like oil. |
| תְּהִי־לוֹ כְּבֶגֶד יַעְטֶה | 19a | May it be for him like clothes [that] he wears, |
| וּלְמֵזַח תָּמִיד יַחְגְּרֶֽהָ׃ | 19b | and [may it become] a belt [that] he always puts on! |
| זֹאת פְּעֻלַּת שֹׂטְנַי מֵאֵת יְהוָה | 20a | This is what my accusers, those who speak evil against me, have earned from YHWH. |
| וְהַדֹּבְרִים רָע עַל־נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | 20b | |
| וְאַתָּה ׀ יְהוִה אֲדֹנָי עֲֽשֵׂה־אִתִּי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ | 21a | But you, YHWH, Lord, take action for me, for the sake of your name! |
| כִּי־טוֹב חַסְדְּךָ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃ | 21b | Because your loyalty is good, rescue me! |
| כִּֽי־עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָנֹכִי | 22a | For I am afflicted and poor, |
| וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ | 22b | and my heart is in anguish inside me. |
| כְּצֵל־כִּנְטוֹתוֹ נֶהֱלָכְתִּי | 23a | Like a shadow when it is stretched out, I have faded. |
| נִנְעַרְתִּי כָּֽאַרְבֶּֽה׃ | 23b | I have been shaken off like a locust. |
| בִּרְכַּי כָּשְׁלוּ מִצּוֹם | 24a | My knees have faltered from fasting, |
| וּבְשָׂרִי כָּחַשׁ מִשָּֽׁמֶן׃ | 24b | and my body has become gaunt, without any fat. |
| וַאֲנִי׀ הָיִיתִי חֶרְפָּה לָהֶם | 25a | And I have become an object of scorn to them. |
| יִרְאוּנִי יְנִיעוּן רֹאשָֽׁם׃ | 25b | When they see me, they shake their heads. |
| עָזְרֵנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהָי | 26a | Help me, YHWH, my God! |
| הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי כְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃ | 26b | Save me according to your loyalty, |
| וְֽיֵדְעוּ כִּי־יָדְךָ זֹּאת | 27a | so that they know that this is your doing; |
| אַתָּה יְהוָה עֲשִׂיתָֽהּ׃ | 27b | [that] you, YHWH, have done it. |
| יְקַֽלְלוּ־הֵמָּה וְאַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ | 28a | Let them curse! But you will bless. |
| *קָמַי יֵבֹשׁוּ* וְֽעַבְדְּךָ יִשְׂמָֽח׃ | 28b | Those who have risen up against me will come to shame, but your servant will rejoice. |
| יִלְבְּשׁוּ שׂוֹטְנַי כְּלִמָּה | 29a | My accusers will be clothed in dishonor |
| וְיַעֲטוּ כַמְעִיל בָּשְׁתָּֽם׃ | 29b | and wear their shame like a robe. |
| אוֹדֶה יְהוָה מְאֹד בְּפִי | 30a | I will fully acknowledge YHWH with my mouth, |
| וּבְתוֹךְ רַבִּים אֲהַֽלְלֶֽנּוּ׃ | 30b | and I will praise him in the midst of many people. |
| כִּֽי־יַעֲמֹד לִימִין אֶבְיוֹן | 31a | For he stands at a poor person's right, |
| לְהוֹשִׁיעַ מִשֹּׁפְטֵי נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ | 31b | to save him from those who condemn him to death. |
Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
This resource is forthcoming.
Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.
