Psalms 35
1 [A Psalm] of David. Judge you, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that 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 hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help!
3 Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: 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 Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.
May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!
5 Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.
May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.
May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue them!
7 For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.
For without cause they have laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
8 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.
May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!
9 But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.
Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
10 All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to you? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yes, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.
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 Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.
False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
12 They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.
They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to my soul.
13 But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.
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 behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbour [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.
I behaved myself as if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for his mother.
15 Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.
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 They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.
With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
17 O Lord, when will you look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the 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 I will give thanks to you even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise you.
I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.
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 to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.
For they speak not peace; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
21 And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].
Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
22 You have seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [yourself] from me.
Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
23 Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgement, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Arouse thyself; awake for my defence! My God and my Lord, awake to my cause!
24 Judge me, O Lord, according to your righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against 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, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha! we have our wish!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 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.
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 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.
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 And my tongue shall meditate on your righteousness, [and] on your praise all the day.
So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
