Psalms 35

1 [By David.] Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

A Psalme of Dauid. Pleade thou my cause, O Lord, with them that striue with me: fight thou against them, that fight against me.

2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe.

3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."

Bring out also the speare and stop the way against them, that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation.

4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

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.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, The LORD's angel driving them on.

Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, The LORD's angel pursuing them.

Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.

7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

For without cause they haue hid the pit and their net for me: without cause haue they digged a pit for my soule.

8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

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.

9 My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.

10 All my bones shall say, "LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?"

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!

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.

Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.

12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.

They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

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.

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.

15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me, and did not cease.

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,

16 When I tripped, they mocked me relentlessly; they gnashed their teeth at me.

With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.

17 LORD, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.

So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

19 Do not let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause and wink their eyes.

Let not them that are mine enemies, vniustly reioyce ouer mee, neyther let them winke with the eye, that hate mee without a cause.

20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.

21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha. Aha. Our eye has seen it."

And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.

22 You have seen it, LORD. Do not keep silent. LORD, do not be far from me.

Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.

23 Wake up. Rise up to defend me, my God. My Lord, contend for me.

Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

24 Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.

Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.

25 Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha. Aha. Our desire." Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."

Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him.

26 Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

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.

27 Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant."

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.

28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.