Psalms 35
1 [By David.] Contend, YHWH, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
“A psalm of David.” Contend, O LORD! with them that contend 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."
Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “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.
May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, YHWH's angel driving them on.
May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, YHWH's angel pursuing them.
May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD 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 they have laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!
9 My soul shall be joyful in YHWH. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
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, Who, O LORD! is like thee, Who dost rescue the afflicted from the oppressor, The afflicted and destitute from the spoiler?
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.
False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to 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.
And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my 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 if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for 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 at my fall they rejoice, and gather themselves together; Revilers whom I know not assemble themselves against me; They tear me without ceasing.
16 When I tripped, they mocked me relentlessly; they gnashed their teeth at me.
With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
17 YHWH, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
How long, O LORD! wilt thou look on? O rescue my life from the destruction they plot for me; My precious life from these young lions!
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.
I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
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 my enemies wrongfully triumph over me; Let them not wink with the eye, who 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; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha. Aha. Our eye has seen it."
Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
22 You have seen it, YHWH. Do not keep silent. YHWH, do not be far from me.
Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
23 Wake up. Rise up to defend me, my God. My Lord, contend for me.
Arouse thyself; awake for my defence! My God and my Lord, awake to my cause!
24 Vindicate me, YHWH my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.
Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Jehovah, my God! Let them not triumph 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 hearts, “Aha! we have our wish!” 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.
May they all be confounded and brought to shame, Who rejoice at my calamity! May they be clothed with ignominy and disgrace, Who exalt 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 shout for joy, and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; Let them ever say, “The LORD be praised, Who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
