1-3. Harass these hecklers, God,punch these bullies in the nose.Grab a weapon, anything at hand;stand up for me!Get ready to throw the spear, aim the javelin,at the people who are out to get me.Reassure me; let me hear you say,“I’ll save you.”
11-12. Hostile accusers appear out of nowhere,they stand up and badger me.They pay me back misery for mercy,leaving my soul empty.
13-14. When they were sick, I dressed in black;instead of eating, I prayed.My prayers were like lead in my gut,like I’d lost my best friend, my brother.I paced, distraught as a motherless child,hunched and heavyhearted.
15-16. But when I was downthey threw a party!All the nameless riffraff of the town camechanting insults about me.Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,they destroyed my reputation.