Psalms 35
1 [A Psalm] of David. Strive, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me:
Of David. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help;
Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.
3 And draw out the spear, and stop [the way] against my pursuers: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
4 Let them be put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:
Dishonor and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of Jehovah drive [them] away;
As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of Jehovah pursue them.
Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
7 For without cause have they hidden for me their net [in] a pit; without cause they have digged [it] for my soul.
For they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
8 Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net which he hath hidden catch himself: for destruction let him fall therein.
Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah; it shall rejoice in his salvation.
Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
10 All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the afflicted from one stronger than he, yea, the afflicted and the needy from him that spoileth him!
and all my being will say, “Who, O Lord, is like you, who save the helpless from those too strong for them, the poor and the helpless from those who despoil them?”
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they lay to my charge things which I know not.
Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
12 They reward me evil for good, [to] the bereavement of my soul.
Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I chastened my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom:
But when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
14 I behaved myself as though [he had been] a friend, a brother to me; I bowed down in sadness, as one that mourneth [for] a mother.
as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments his mother.
15 But at my halting they rejoiced, and gathered together: the slanderers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:
When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
16 With profane jesters for bread, they have gnashed their teeth against me.
impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my only one from the young lions.
How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation; I will praise thee among much people.
I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many people.
19 Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; let them not wink with the eye that hate me without cause.
Suffer not those to rejoice over me who are falsely my foes, suffer not those who without cause abhor me to wink with the eye.
20 For they speak not peace; and they devise deceitful words against the quiet in the land.
For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said, Aha! aha! our eye hath seen [it].
With wide open mouths they shout, “Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.”
22 Thou hast seen [it], Jehovah: keep not silence; O Lord, be not far from me.
But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake for my right, for my cause, my God and Lord!
Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
24 Judge me, Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.
You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha! so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
inwardly saying, “Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now we have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine adversity; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonor be those who are haughty to me!
27 Let them exult and rejoice that delight in my righteousness; and let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant.
Let such as delight in my cause ring out their gladness, and say evermore, “Great is the Lord whose delight is the well-being of his servant.”
28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, [and] of thy praise, all the day.
Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
