Psalms 35
1 Strive thou, O Jehovah, with those who strive with me. Fight thou against those who fight against me.
Of David himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me.
3 Draw out the spear also, and stop the way against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am thy salvation.
Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let them be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise my hurt.
Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the agent of Jehovah driving them on.
May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and the agent of Jehovah pursuing them.
May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they have hid their net for me in a pit. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. Over nothing, they have rebuked my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself. Let him fall in it with destruction.
Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: and may he fall into that very snare.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
But my soul will exult in the Lord and delight over his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like thee, who delivers a poor man from him who is too strong for him, yea, a poor and needy man from him who robs him?
All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like you?” He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up, they ask me of things that I know not.
Unfair witnesses have risen up, interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.
12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
They repaid me evil for good, to the deprivation of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
But as for me, when they were harassing me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will become my sinews.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as he who bewails his mother.
Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.
15 But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The wretches gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not. They tore me, and ceased not.
And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. They gnashed their teeth over me.
17 Lord, how long will thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
Lord, when will you look down upon me? Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great assembly. I will praise thee among much people.
I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty people.
19 Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me. Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.
20 For they speak not peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.
And they opened their mouth wide over me. They said, “Well, well, our eyes have seen.”
22 Thou have seen it, O Jehovah. Keep not silence. O Lord, be not far from me.
You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. Lord, do not depart from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice to me, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.
Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, and do not let them be glad over me.
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Do not let them say in their hearts, “Well, well, to our soul.” Neither let them say, “We have devoured him.”
26 Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my hurt. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
Let them blush and be in awe together, those who congratulate at my misfortunes. Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, who speak great things against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, and let them ever say, “The Lord be magnified,” who will the peace of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
And so my tongue will express your justice: your praise all day long.
