Bible Verses About Malice

Yes, he stoops, crouches down low; and the helpless wretch falls into his clutches.

All who see me jeer at me; they sneer and shake their heads:

"He committed himself to ADONAI, so let him rescue him! Let him set him free if he takes such delight in him!"

They repay me evil for good; it makes me feel desolate as a parent bereaved.

But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth; I put myself out and fasted; I can pray that what I prayed for them might also happen to me.

I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother; I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.

But when I stumble, they gather in glee; they gather against me and strike me unawares; they tear me apart unceasingly.

With ungodly mocking and grimacing, they grind their teeth at me.

Don't let those who are wrongfully my enemies gloat over me; and those who hate me unprovoked -don't let them smirk at me.

For they don't speak words of peace but devise ways to deceive the peaceful of the land.

They shout to accuse me, "Aha! Aha! we saw you with our own eyes!"

My enemies say the worst about me: "When will he die and his name disappear?"

When they come to see me they speak insincerely, their hearts meanwhile gathering falsehoods; then they go out and spread bad reports.

All who hate me whisper together against me, imagining the worst about me.

"A fatal disease has attached itself to him; now that he lies ill, he will never get up."

Day and night they go about its walls; within are malice and mischief.

Ruin is rife within it, oppression and fraud never leave its streets.

All day long they twist my words; their only thought is to harm me.

They gather together and hide themselves, spying on my movements, hoping to kill me.

For there they are, lying in wait to kill me. Openly they gather themselves against me, and not because I committed a crime or sinned, ADONAI.

For no fault of mine, they run and prepare. Awaken to help me, and see!

They return at nightfall, snarling like dogs as they go around the city.

Look what pours out of their mouth, what swords are on their lips, [as they say to themselves,] "No one is listening, anyway."

How long will you assail a person in order to murder him, all of you, as if he were a sagging wall or a shaky fence?

They only want to shake him from his height, they take delight in lying with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. (Selah)