To him that excelleth. A Psalme of Dauid. Holde not thy tongue, O God of my praise.

For the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth full of deceite are opened vpon me: they haue spoken to me with a lying tongue.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.

For my friendship they were mine aduersaries, but I gaue my selfe to praier.

And they haue rewarded me euil for good, and hatred for my friendship.

Set thou the wicked ouer him, and let the aduersarie stand at his right hand.

Whe he shalbe iudged, let him be condemned, and let his praier be turned into sinne.

Let his daies be fewe, and let another take his charge.

Let his children be fatherlesse, and his wife a widowe.

Let his children be vagabounds & beg and seeke bread, comming out of their places destroyed.

Let the extortioner catch al that he hath, and let the strangers spoile his labour.

Let there be none to extende mercie vnto him: neither let there be any to shewe mercie vpon his fatherlesse children.

Let his posteritie be destroied, and in the generation following let their name be put out.

Let the iniquitie of his fathers bee had in remembrance with the Lord: and let not the sinne of his mother be done away.

But let them alway be before the Lorde, that he may cut off their memorial from ye earth.

Because he remembred not to shew mercie, but persecuted the afflicted and poore man, and the sorowfull hearted to slay him.

As he loued cursing, so shall it come vnto him, and as he loued not blessing, so shall it be farre from him.

As he clothed himselfe with cursing like a rayment, so shall it come into his bowels like water, and like oyle into his bones.

Let it be vnto him as a garment to couer him, and for a girdle, wherewith he shalbe alway girded.

Let this be the rewarde of mine aduersarie from the Lord, and of them, that speake euill against my soule.

But thou, O Lorde my God, deale with me according vnto thy Name: deliuer me, (for thy mercie is good)

Because I am poore and needie, and mine heart is wounded within me.

I depart like the shadowe that declineth, and am shaken off as the grashopper.

My knees are weake through fasting, and my flesh hath lost all fatnes.

I became also a rebuke vnto them: they that looked vpon me, shaked their heads.

Helpe me, O Lord my God: saue me according to thy mercie.

And they shal know, that this is thine hand, and that thou, Lord, hast done it.

Though they curse, yet thou wilt blesse: they shall arise & be confounded, but thy seruant shall reioyce.

Let mine aduersaries be clothed with shame, and let them couer themselues with their confusion, as with a cloke.

I will giue thankes vnto the Lorde greatly with my mouth & praise him among ye multitude.

For he will stand at the right hand of the poore, to saue him from them that woulde condemne his soule.