Psalms 35
1 Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
A psalm of David. Yahweh, work against those who work against me; fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
Grab your small shield and large shield; rise up and help me.
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
Use your spear and battle ax against those who chase me; say to 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.
May those who seek my life be shamed and dishonored. May those who plan to harm me be turned back and confounded.
5 May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
May they be as chaff before the wind, as the angel of Yahweh drives them away.
6 May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
May their way be dark and slippery, as the angel of Yahweh chases them.
7 For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
Without cause they set their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
Let destruction overtake them by surprise. Let the net that they have set catch them. Let them fall into it, to their destruction.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
But I will be joyful in Yahweh and 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 will say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who rescues the oppressed from those who are too strong for them and the poor and needy from those who try to rob them?”
11 Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they accuse me falsely.
12 They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
They repay me evil for good. I am sorrowful.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
But, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I fasted for them with my head bowed on my chest.
14 I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
I went about in grief as for my brother; I bent down in mourning as for my 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 when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together against me, and I was surprised by them. They tore at me without stopping.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
With no respect at all they mocked me; they grind their teeth at me in rage.
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 destructive attacks, my life from the lions.
18 Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
Then I will thank you 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 my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let them carry out their wicked schemes.
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 in our land who live in peace.
21 They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
They open their mouths wide against me; they said, “Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it.”
22 O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
You have seen it, Yahweh, do not be silent; Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
Arouse yourself and awake to my defense; My God and my Lord, defend my cause.
24 Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
Defend me, Yahweh my God, because of your righteousness; do not let them rejoice 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, we have what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him.”
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 be put to shame and may they be confounded who rejoice at my distress. May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.
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 desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad; may they say continually, “Yahweh be praised, he who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
28 Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
Then I will tell of your justice and praise you all day long.
