(A David psalm.)
Thrash them, Yahweh!
They’re trying to thrash me.
Smack down
The people trying to smack me down.
Arm yourself for a brawl.
Come and stand up for me.
Show your weapons
To the bullies out to get me.
I need to hear you say,
“I’ve got your back.”
May those out to get me
Fall face first
In the mud,
Their plans for my destruction
Failing spectacularly.
May they blow away
Like a dandelion puff
Blown by Yahweh,
Physically and personally present.
May they retreat
Through a minefield,
Chased by Yahweh,
Physically and personally present.
For no good reason,
They set boobytraps for me.
They set snares for me,
For no good reason at all.
May they come to ruin
Suddenly,
Wide-eyed with surprise.
May the traps they set,
Snap shut on their own feet.
May their plots backfire,
Causing their own disaster.
My heart will be happy,
Savoring Yahweh’s salvation.
Every cell in my body will shout,
“Oh Yahweh,
You’re one of a kind!
You don’t pick the smug strong,
You pick the beaten down weak.
You don’t pick the robbing rich,
You pick the needy poor.
I’m in court,
Accused.
Sly witnesses take the stand
Against me.
I’m cross-examined
About thing I know nothing of.
My kindness is repaid
With cruelty.
I feel like a good friend
Just died.
But that’s not how I treated them.
When they suffered,
I suffered too,
Taking it to heart,
When my prayers for them
Came up empty,
I grieved
Like my own brother had just died.
I felt crushed,
Like at the death of my own mother.
But when things went bad for me,
They laughed.
I became the butt of their jokes.
They sliced me with their words,
Like people who live as if there’s no God
To keep them accountable
For murder-by-words.
They snarled at me
Like beasts.
Are you just going to sit there
And watch, Lord?
Save me from these beasts,
My precious life
From these blood-thirsty
Predators.
I’m looking forward to the day
When I stand tall
In the middle of your people
And sing my lungs out.
In the meantime,
Don’t let them gloat over me.
They have no good reason
To hate me,
But that doesn’t stop them.
I’ve done nothing
To deserve their smirks
Behind my back.
They use bulldozer words,
Wrecking-ball accusations,
To tear down the lives of quiet,
Friendly people.
Their lips curl
Condescendingly
As they crow,
“Look what we did!”
You saw it too, Yahweh.
So break your silence about it.
Don’t act as if you’re
On the other side of the world from me.
Wake up, Lord!
Get dressed for action.
Be my defense attorney,
My Lord,
My God.
Win my case.
Let your justice prevail,
Yahweh, my God.
Put a cork
In their gloating mouths.
Don’t let them say,
“We won!
We crushed him!”
May those who laughed at me
Become laughingstocks.
Trade their arrogant tuxedos
For threadbare rags
That stink a mile away.
But may those who applaud
My triumph in court
Throw a heart-happy party.
May they nod and say,
“Yahweh is simply the best,
He takes such good care
Of those who serve him.
And he does it so happily.”
The day is coming
When the only words I’ll speak
All day long
Tell of your goodness
And justice.