Psalms 35
1 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow 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 arms and shield: and rise up to help me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help!
3 Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.
Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “I am thy 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.
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 become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.
May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
6 Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue them!
7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
For without cause they have laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
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.
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 rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.
Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
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.
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 rising up have asked me things I knew not.
False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.
They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to my soul.
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.
And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my bosom.
14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.
I behaved myself as if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for his mother.
15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew 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 were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only 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 thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.
I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the 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 they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.
For they speak not peace; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.
Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
22 Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.
Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
23 Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: 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 my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over 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: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha! we have our wish!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
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.
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 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.
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 Any my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.
So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
