Psalms 35

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

[A Psalm] of David. Strive, O Jehovah, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me:

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

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

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

And draw out the spear, and stop [the way] against my pursuers: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

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 put to shame and confounded that seek after my life; let them be turned backward and brought to confusion that devise my hurt:

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

Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of Jehovah drive [them] away;

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

Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of Jehovah pursue 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 have they hidden for me their net [in] a pit; without cause they have digged [it] for my soul.

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 upon him unawares, and let his net which he hath hidden catch himself: for destruction let him fall therein.

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

And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah; it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, "YHWH, 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, Jehovah, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the afflicted from one stronger than he, yea, the afflicted and the needy from him that spoileth him!

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

Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they lay to my charge things which I know not.

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

They reward me evil for good, [to] the bereavement of my soul.

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.

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

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 behaved myself as though [he had been] a friend, a brother to me; I bowed down in sadness, as one that mourneth [for] a 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 at my halting they rejoiced, and gathered together: the slanderers gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:

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

With profane jesters for bread, they have gnashed their teeth against me.

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

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my only one from the young lions.

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

I will give thee thanks in the 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 wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; let them not wink with the eye that hate me without cause.

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

For they speak not peace; and they devise deceitful words against the quiet in the land.

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

And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said, Aha! aha! our eye hath seen [it].

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

Thou hast seen [it], Jehovah: keep not silence; O Lord, be not far from me.

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

Stir up thyself, and awake for my right, for my cause, my God and Lord!

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

Judge me, Jehovah my God, according to thy righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me.

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 heart, Aha! so would we have it. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

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 be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine adversity; let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

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

Let them exult and rejoice that delight in my righteousness; and let them say continually, Jehovah be magnified, who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant.

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

And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, [and] of thy praise, all the day.