Psalms 34:6-21

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery, And an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

⁷For without cause they have hidden for me their destructive snare: Without a cause they have reproached my soul.

⁸Let a snare which they know not come upon them; And the gin which they hid take them: And let them fall into the very same snare.

⁹But my soul shall exult in the Lord: It shall delight in his salvation.

¹⁰All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? Delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, Yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

¹¹Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I knew not.

¹²They rewarded me evil for good, And bereavement to my soul.

¹³But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, And humbled my soul with fasting: And my prayer shall return to my own bosom.

¹⁴I behaved agreeably toward them as if it had been our neighbor or brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

¹⁵Yet they rejoiced against me, And plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew it not: They were scattered, but repented not.

¹⁶They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, They gnashed their teeth upon me.

¹⁷O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, Mine only begotten one from the lions.

¹⁸I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: In an abundant people I will praise thee.

¹⁹Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; Who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

²⁰For to me they spoke peaceably, But imagined deceits in their anger.

²¹And they opened wide their mouth upon me; They said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.