They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side];
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.

They swarmed around me like bees;
They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.

Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies,
And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart.

They do no unrighteousness;
They walk in His ways.

Let the arrogant be ashamed and humiliated, for they sabotage me with a lie;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.

They had almost destroyed me on earth,
But as for me, I did not turn away from Your precepts.

They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things [all parts of the universe] are Your servants.

I have taken Your testimonies as a heritage forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.

It is time for the Lord to act;
They have broken Your law.

My eyes weep streams of water
Because people do not keep Your law.

Those who follow after wickedness approach;
They are far from Your law.

Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.

I see the treacherous and loathe them,
Because they do not respect Your law.

Those who love Your law have great peace;
Nothing makes them stumble.

I am for peace, but when I speak,
They are for war.

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you [holy city].

Then they would have [quickly] swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;

Then our mouth was filled with laughter
And our tongue with joyful shouting;
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”

They who sow in tears shall reap with joyful singing.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.

How blessed [happy and fortunate] is the man whose quiver is filled with them;
They will not be ashamed
When they speak with their enemies [in gatherings] at the [city] gate.

“Many times they have persecuted me (Israel) from my youth,”
Let Israel now say,

“Many times they have persecuted me from my youth,
Yet they have not prevailed against me.

“The [enemies, like] plowers plowed on my back;
They made their furrows [of suffering] long [in Israel].”

They have mouths, but they do not speak;
They have eyes, but they do not see;

They have ears, but they do not hear,
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.

For there they who took us captive demanded of us a song with words,
And our tormentors [who made a mockery of us demanded] amusement, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom,
The day of [the fall of] Jerusalem,
Who said “Down, down [with her]
To her very foundation.”

All the kings of the land will give thanks and praise You, O Lord,
When they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].

Yes, they will sing of the ways of the Lord [joyfully celebrating His wonderful acts],
For great is the glory and majesty of the Lord.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were appointed for me,
When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].

If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

I hate them with perfect and utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

They devise evil things in their hearts;
They continually [gather together and] stir up wars.

They sharpen their tongues like a serpent’s;
Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.

The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords;
They have spread a net by the wayside;
They have set traps for me. Selah.

“Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further their evil device, that they not be exalted. Selah.

“Those who surround me raise their heads;
May the mischief of their own lips come upon them.

“Let burning coals fall upon them;
Let them be thrown into the fire,
Into deep [water] pits from which they cannot rise.

Their [wicked, godless] judges are thrown down the sides of the rocky cliff,
And they [who followed them] will hear my words, for they are pleasant (just).

Keep me from the jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the snares of those who do evil.

When my spirit was overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness],
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.

“Give attention to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they are stronger than I.

Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

They will overflow [like a fountain] when they speak of Your great and abundant goodness
And will sing joyfully of Your righteousness.

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power,

He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that for which they cry.

He has not dealt this way with any [other] nation;
They have not known [understood, appreciated, heeded, or cherished] His ordinances.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.