Psalms 35
1 Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5 May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.
6 May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.
7 For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
8 May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.
12 They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
14 I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me, and did not cease.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
18 Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.
19 Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
Do not let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
You have seen it, LORD. Do not keep silent. Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
24 Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27 May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
