Psalms 35
1 [A Psalm] of David. Judge you, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.
Of David. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.
Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.
3 Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am your salvation.
Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
4 Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.
Dishonour and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
5 Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.
As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.
Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
7 For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.
For they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
8 Let a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.
Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
9 But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.
Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
10 All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to you? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yes, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.
and all my being will say, ‘Who, O Lord, is like you, who save the helpless from those too strong for them, the poor and the helpless from those who despoil them?’
11 Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.
Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.
Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
13 But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.
But when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
14 I behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbor [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.
as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments his mother.
15 Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.
When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
16 They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.
impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.
17 O Lord, when will you look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.
How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give thanks to you even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise you.
I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.
Suffer not those to rejoice over me who are falsely my foes, suffer not those who without cause abhor me to wink with the eye.
20 For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.
For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
21 And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].
With wide open mouths they shout, ‘Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.’
22 You have seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [yourself] from me.
But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
24 Judge me, O Lord, according to your righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.
You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.
inwardly saying, ‘Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now we have swallowed him up.’
26 Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words against me.
Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonour be those who are haughty to me!
27 Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.
Let such as delight in my cause ring out their gladness, and say evermore, ‘Great is the Lord whose delight is the well-being of his servant.’
28 And my tongue shall meditate on your righteousness, [and] on your praise all the day.
Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
