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.

Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with 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 stand up for mine help.

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

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am your 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 put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

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 chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase 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 let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

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

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dug for 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 destruction come upon him at unexpectedly; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

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

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice 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 unto you, which deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?

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

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

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

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling 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 sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine 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 myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.

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 in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the outcasts gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

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

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, 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, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling 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 you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much 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 mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

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 speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

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

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.

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

This you have seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

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

Stir up yourself, and awake to my judgment, even unto 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 your righteousness; 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, Ah, so would we have it: let them not 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 be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves 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 shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

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

And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.