Psalms 35
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am your salvation.
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dig for my soul.
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
8 Let destruction come on him at unawares; and let his net that he has hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like to you, which deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him that spoils him?
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.
They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourns for his mother.
I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
15 But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yes, the attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed on me with their teeth.
Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great congregation: I will praise you among much people.
Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
19 Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.
They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
22 This you have seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up yourself, and awake to my judgment, even to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonor that magnify themselves against me.
May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yes, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
28 And my tongue shall speak of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
