Psalms 35
1 A psalm of David. Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who are fighting against me.
By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,
2 Put your armor on, and pick up your shield. Get ready, come and help me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,
3 Draw your spear and your javelin, confront those who are chasing me. Tell me, “I am your salvation!”
And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, 'Thy salvation I [am].'
4 Shame them! Humiliate those who are trying to kill me! Turn them back! Disgrace those who are planning to hurt me!
They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.
5 Let them be like chaff blown by the wind; let the angel of the Lord drive them away.
They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.
6 May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord chasing them down.
Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.
7 For no reason they set a net to catch me; for no reason they dug a pit to trap me.
For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.
8 Let disaster come on them suddenly; let the net they set catch them instead; let the pit they dug trap them instead.
Meet him doth desolation — he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.
9 Then I will be glad in the Lord; I will be happy in his salvation.
And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.
10 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.
All my bones say, 'Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'
11 Hostile witnesses stand up to testify against me, accusing me of crimes I don't know anything about.
Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.
12 They pay me back with evil instead of good. I feel like giving up.
They pay me evil for good, bereaving my soul,
13 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.
And I — in their sickness my clothing [is] sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.
14 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.
As [if] a friend, as [if] my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.
15 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.
And — in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;
16 Like irreligious people mocking a cripple they mock me and call me names, gnashing their teeth at me.
With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.
17 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.
Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.
18 Then I will thank you in front of the whole congregation and praise you in front of all the people.
I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.
19 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.
Mine enemies rejoice not over me [with] falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.
20 They are not looking for peace; they invent malicious and deceptive schemes against innocent peace-loving people.
For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,
21 They open their mouths wide to make accusations against me, saying, “Look! Look! We saw it with our own eyes!”
And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, 'Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'
22 But Lord, you've seen all this! Say something! Don't give up on me, Lord!
Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord — be not far from me,
23 Wake up! Get up and defend me, my Lord and my God! Take up my case and make sure justice is done!
Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.
24 Vindicate me, my Lord and my God, because you are just and right. Don't let them gloat over me.
Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.
25 Don't let them say to themselves, “Look! We got what we wanted!” Don't let them say, “We completely destroyed him!”
They do not say in their heart, 'Aha, our desire.' They do not say, 'We swallowed him up.'
26 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.
They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.
27 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.”
They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, 'Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'
28 I will tell others about your character of truth and right, praising you all day long!
And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!
