Psalms 35
1 Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
“A psalm of David.” Contend, O LORD! with them that contend with me! Fight against them that 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.”
Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “I am thy 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.
May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!
5 May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
6 May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue 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 laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
8 May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
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, Who, O LORD! is like thee, Who dost rescue the afflicted from the oppressor, The afflicted and destitute from the spoiler?
11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
12 They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to my soul.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my 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 if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for 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 at my fall they rejoice, and gather themselves together; Revilers whom I know not assemble themselves against me; They tear me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
How long, O LORD! wilt thou look on? O rescue my life from the destruction they plot for me; My precious life from these young lions!
18 Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
19 Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully triumph over me; Let them not wink with the eye, who hate me without cause!
20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
For they speak not peace; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
21 They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
22 O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
23 Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
Arouse thyself; awake for my defence! My God and my Lord, awake to my cause!
24 Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Jehovah, my God! Let them not triumph over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha! we have our wish!” Let them not 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.
May they all be confounded and brought to shame, Who rejoice at my calamity! May they be clothed with ignominy and disgrace, Who exalt 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 them shout for joy, and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; Let them ever say, “The LORD be praised, Who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
