Psalms 35
1 A Psalme of Dauid. Pleade thou my cause, O Lord, with them that striue with me: fight thou against them, that fight against me.
“Of David.” Contend, O Lord, with those that contend with me: fight against those that fight against me.
2 Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up for my help.
3 Bring out also the speare and stop the way against them, that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation.
And draw out the spear, and step in against my pursuers; say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.
Let those be put to shame and be confounded that seek after my life: let those be turned backward and be made to blush, that devise unhappiness for me.
5 Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.
Let them be as chaff before the wind; and may the angel of the Lord cast them forth.
6 Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.
May their way be dark and slippery: and may the angel of the Lord pursue them.
7 For without cause they haue hid the pit and their net for me: without cause haue they digged a pit for my soule.
For without cause have they hidden for me their net in a pit, without cause have they dug [pit-falls] against my life.
8 Let destruction come vpon him at vnwares, and let his net, that he hath laid priuilie, take him: let him fall into the same destruction.
May then destruction come upon each of them at unawares; and may his net that he hath hidden catch himself: in [utter] destruction let him fall therein.
9 Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.
But my soul shall exult in the Lord: she shall be glad through his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like vnto thee, which deliuerest the poore from him, that is too strong for him! yea, the poore and him that is in miserie, from him that spoyleth him!
All my bones will say, Lord, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that robbeth him?
11 Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.
There rise up witnesses of violence; concerning what I know not they question me.
12 They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.
They recompense me with evil in place of good, [bringing] bereavement on my soul.
13 Yet I, when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sacke: I humbled my soule with fasting: and my praier was turned vpon my bosome.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted with fasting my soul, and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
14 I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.
As though he had been to me a friend or a brother did I walk about: as one that mourneth for a mother did I sorrowfully bend down my head.
15 But in mine aduersitie they reioyced, and gathered them selues together: the abiects assembled themselues against me, and knewe not: they tare me and ceased not,
But in my downfall they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together; there gathered themselves together against me abject wretches, whom I knew not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.
With hypocritical babbling mockers, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.
O Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, from the young lions my solitary spirit.
18 So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
I will thank thee in the great assembly: among a mighty people will I praise thee.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies, vniustly reioyce ouer mee, neyther let them winke with the eye, that hate mee without a cause.
Let not rejoice over me those that are my enemies wrongfully: [nor] let those who hate me without cause wink with the eye.
20 For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.
For they speak not peace; but against the quiet in the land they devise deceitful words.
21 And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.
Yea, they opened wide against me their mouth; they said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.
Thou hast seen it, O Lord! remain not silent: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Arouse thyself, and awake to do me justice, my God and my Lord, unto my cause.
24 Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.
Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him.
Let them not say in their heart, Aha, [this is the wish of] our soul: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them bee confounded, and put to shame together, that reioyce at mine hurt: let them bee clothed with confusion and shame, that lift vp themselues against me.
Let those be made ashamed and put to the blush together that rejoice at my mishap; let them be clothed with shame and confusion that magnify themselves above me.
27 But let them be ioyful and glad, that loue my righteousnesse: yea, let them say alway, Let the Lord be magnified, which loueth the prosperitie of his seruant.
Let those shout, and rejoice, that desire my righteousness: yea, let them say continually, Great is the Lord, who desireth the welfare of his servant.
28 And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.
And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, all the day of thy praise.
