Psalms 35

1 Of David himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me.

Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

2 Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

3 Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am your salvation.

4 Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me.

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 May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.

Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

6 May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. Over nothing, they have rebuked my soul.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dig for my soul.

8 Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: and may he fall into that very snare.

Let destruction come on him at unawares; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 But my soul will exult in the Lord and delight over 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?” He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.

All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like to you, which deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?

11 Unfair witnesses have risen up, interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.

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

12 They repaid me evil for good, to the deprivation of my soul.

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were harassing me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will become my sinews.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.

15 And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.

But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yes, the attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

16 They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. They gnashed their teeth over me.

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed on me with their teeth.

17 Lord, when will you look down upon me? Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.

Lord, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

18 I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty people.

I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people.

19 May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.

Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

20 For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit.

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

21 And they opened their mouth wide over me. They said, “Well, well, our eyes have seen.”

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

22 You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. Lord, do not depart from me.

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

23 Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.

Stir up yourself, and awake to my judgment, even to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, and 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 Do not let them say in their hearts, “Well, well, to our soul.” Neither let them say, “We have devoured 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 them blush and be in awe together, those who congratulate at my misfortunes. Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, who speak great things against me.

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.

27 Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, and let them ever say, “The Lord be magnified,” who will the peace of his servant.

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

28 And so my tongue will express your justice: your praise all day long.

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