Psalms 35
1 For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.
Yahweh, fight against those who fight against me! Fight against [my enemies] when they fight me!
2 Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.
Be [like] a shield [DOU] to protect me and come to 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.
Lift up your spear [DOU] and [throw it] at those who pursue me! Promise me that you will enable me to defeat [my enemies].
4 Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.
Cause those who are trying to kill me to be defeated and disgraced! Cause those who are planning to do evil things to me to be pushed back and become confused!
5 Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.
Send your angel to pursue them, and as a result cause them to disappear like chaff/straw blown away by the wind!
6 Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
Cause the path on which they run to be dark and slippery as your angel pursues them!
7 For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul.
Although I did not do anything wrong to them, they concealed a deep pit for me to fall into; they hid a net in which they would catch 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.
Cause them to suddenly experience disaster! Cause them to be trapped in their own nets! Cause them to fall into the pits that they have dug for me and disappear!
9 But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.
Then I will be joyful about what you, Yahweh, have done for me, I will be glad that you have rescued me.
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.
With my whole inner being [SYN] I will say, “There is no one like Yahweh [RHQ]! No one else can rescue helpless people from powerful people [RHQ]. No one else can rescue weak and needy people from those who want to rob them.”
11 Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.
People who tell lies stand in court and falsely accuse me of doing things that I do not know [anything] about.
12 They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.
In return for my doing good things for them, they do evil things to me, with the result that I feel that I am alone.
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.
When they were ill, I showed that I was sad. I did not eat any food, and I bowed my head as I prayed [for them].
14 As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.
I mourned and bowed my head as I prayed as though it was a friend or my mother for whom I was grieving.
15 But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.
But when I had troubles, they were all happy about it. They gathered around to make fun of me. Strangers struck me, and they would not stop.
16 They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Worthless people ridicule me and snarl at me.
17 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.
Yahweh, how long will you only watch them doing this? Rescue me from their attacking me; Save me from being killed by these men who are attacking me like [MET] lions [that are attacking other animals]
18 I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.
Then, when many of your people gather, I will praise you and I will thank you in front of all of them.
19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.
Do not allow my enemies, who tell lies about me, defeat me and then rejoice! Do not allow those who hate me when there in no reason to hate me to (smirk/smile happily)!
20 For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.
They do not talk peacefully to people; instead, they seek ways to tell lies about people who are peaceful.
21 And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.
They shout at me, to accuse me, saying, “We saw the wrong things that you did!”
22 Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.
Yahweh, you have seen these things, so do not be silent! Do not stay far from me!
23 Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Arise, my God, and plead my case in court, and successfully defend me!
24 Judge me, O Lord my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over me.
Yahweh, my God, because you are righteous, prove that I am innocent in order that my enemies will not be able to gloat [that I was judged to be guilty].
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.
Do not allow them to be able to say to themselves, “Yes, we have gotten rid of him [IDM] just like we desired!”
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.
Cause those who rejoice about my misfortunes to be completely defeated and disgraced; cause those who boast that they are much greater than me to be disgraced and dishonored!
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.
But cause those who desire that I be acquitted to be happy and shout joyfully, and cause them to continually say, “Yahweh is great! He is delighted to cause things to go well for those who serve him.”
28 Any my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.
Then I will proclaim that you act righteously, and I will praise you all day long.
