| A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies |
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| 1 | Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me:
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| fight against them that fight against me. |
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| 2 | Take hold of shield and buckler,
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| and stand up for mine help. |
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| 3 | Draw out also the spear,
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| and stop the way against them that persecute me: |
| say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. |
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| 4 | Let them be confounded and put to shame
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| that seek after my soul: |
| let them be turned back and brought to confusion |
| that devise my hurt. |
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| 5 | Let them be as chaff before the wind:
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| and let the angel of the LORD chase them. |
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| 6 | Let their way be dark and slippery:
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| and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. |
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| 7 | For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit,
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| which without cause they have digged for my soul. |
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| 8 | Let destruction come upon him at unawares;
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| and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: |
| into that very destruction let him fall. |
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| 9 | And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD:
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| it shall rejoice in his salvation. |
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| 10 | All my bones shall say,
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| LORD, who is like unto thee, |
| which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, |
| yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him? |
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| 11 | False witnesses did rise up;
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| they laid to my charge things that I knew not. |
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| 12 | They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. |
| 13 | But as for me, when they were sick,
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| my clothing was sackcloth: |
| I humbled my soul with fasting; |
| and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. |
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| 14 | I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:
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| I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. |
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| 15 | But in mine adversity they rejoiced,
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| and gathered themselves together: |
| yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, |
| and I knew it not; |
| they did tear me, and ceased not: |
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| 16 | with hypocritical mockers in feasts,
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| they gnashed upon me with their teeth. |
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| 17 | Lord, how long wilt thou look on?
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| Rescue my soul from their destructions, |
| my darling from the lions. |
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| 18 | I will give thee thanks in the great congregation:
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| I will praise thee among much people. |
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| 19 | Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me:
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| 20 | For they speak not peace:
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| but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. |
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| 21 | Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me,
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| and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. |
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| 22 | This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence:
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| O Lord, be not far from me. |
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| 23 | Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment,
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| even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. |
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| 24 | Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness;
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| and let them not rejoice over me. |
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| 25 | Let them not say in their hearts,
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| Ah, so would we have it: |
| let them not say, We have swallowed him up. |
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| 26 | Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together
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| that rejoice at mine hurt: |
| let them be clothed with shame and dishonor |
| that magnify themselves against me. |
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| 27 | Let them shout for joy, and be glad,
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| that favor my righteous cause: |
| yea, let them say continually, |
| Let the LORD be magnified, |
| which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. |
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| 28 | And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness
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| and of thy praise all the day long. |
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