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.

For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

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

Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

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

Bring out the sword, and shut up 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 be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.

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

Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

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

Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue 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 hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided 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 the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

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

But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted 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: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.

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

Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

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

They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of 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 as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my 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.

As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

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.

But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

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

They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only 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 in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.

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 my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the 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 they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.

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

And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, 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, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

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

Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: 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 my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over 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: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.

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 blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things 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 rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.

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

Any my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.