They are around me now, wherever I turn, watching for a chance to pull me down.

Many enemies surround me like bulls; they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.

All day long they surround me like a flood; they close in on me from every side.

Shimei cursed him and said, "Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal!

You took Saul's kingdom, and now the LORD is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul's family. The LORD has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!"

The LORD says, "The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy God.

Without any reason they laid a trap for me and dug a deep hole to catch me.

They do not speak in a friendly way; instead they invent all kinds of lies about peace-loving people.

Look! They are waiting to kill me; cruel people are gathering against me. It is not because of any sin or wrong I have done,

nor because of any fault of mine, O LORD, that they hurry to their places.

Those who hate me for no reason are more numerous than the hairs of my head. My enemies tell lies against me; they are strong and want to kill me. They made me give back things I did not steal.

Jonathan praised David to Saul and said, "Sir, don't do wrong to your servant David. He has never done you any wrong; on the contrary, everything he has done has been a great help to you.

He risked his life when he killed Goliath, and the LORD won a great victory for Israel. When you saw it, you were glad. Why, then, do you now want to do wrong to an innocent man and kill David for no reason at all?"

And he added, "Why, sir, are you still pursuing me, your servant? What have I done? What crime have I committed?

And while he was offering sacrifices, Absalom also sent to the town of Gilo for Ahithophel, who was one of King David's advisers. The plot against the king gained strength, and Absalom's followers grew in number.

They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not done among them the things that no one else ever did; as it is, they have seen what I did, and they hate both me and my Father.

This, however, was bound to happen so that what is written in their Law may come true: 'They hated me for no reason at all.'