Psalms 35

1 Of David. O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.

[A Psalm] of David. Judge thou, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.

2 Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.

3 Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.

Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

5 Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.

Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.

6 Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.

Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

7 For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.

For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.

8 Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.

Let a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.

9 And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.

But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.

All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

11 False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.

Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.

12 They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.

They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.

But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.

14 My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.

I behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbour [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

15 But they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.

Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.

16 Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.

They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.

17 Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.

18 I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.

I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise thee.

19 Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.

Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

20 For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.

For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.

21 Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].

22 You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.

Thou hast seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [thyself] from me.

23 Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.

Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.

Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, So we will have it: let them not say, We have put an end to him.

Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.

26 Let all those who take pleasure in my troubles be shamed and come to nothing: let those who are lifted up against me be covered with shame and have no honour.

Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words against me.

27 Let those who are on my side give cries of joy; let them ever say, The Lord be praised, for he has pleasure in the peace of his servant.

Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue will be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day.

And my tongue shall meditate on thy righteousness, [and] on thy praise all the day.