Psalms 35
1 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.
A psalm of David. Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
2 Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.
Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
3 Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.
Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
4 Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.
Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
5 Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.
Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
8 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.
Let disaster come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
9 But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.
Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
10 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.
Every part of me will say, Who can compare to you, Lord? You rescue the weak from the strong; the poor and needy from robbers.
11 Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.
Hostile witnesses stand up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.
They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.
13 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.
But when they were sick, I put on clothes of sackcloth in sympathy. I denied myself through fasting. May my prayer for them return to bless me too.
14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.
I was upset for them, as if they were my own friends or family; I bowed down in grief as if I was mourning my own mother.
15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.
But when I was in trouble, they gathered around and laughed at me. Even strangers I don't know attacked me, constantly tearing me apart.
16 They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Like irreligious people mocking a cripple they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
17 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.
How long, Lord, will you sit by and just watch? Save me from their vicious attacks; defend the only life I have from these lions.
18 I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.
Then I will thank you in front of the whole congregation and praise you in front of all the people.
19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.
Don't let my enemies take pleasure in my troubles, those people who hate me and tell lies about me, gloating over me for no reason.
20 For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.
They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.
21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.
They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
22 Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.
But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
23 Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
24 Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.
Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
25 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.
Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
26 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.
Make them totally ashamed, all those who are happy for the trouble I'm in. Let those who are celebrating over me be covered with shame and dishonor.
27 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.
Instead let those who are pleased I've been vindicated celebrate and shout for joy. Let them always say, “How great is the Lord! He is happy when his servants live in peace and have what they need.”
28 Any my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.
I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!
