Psalms 35
1 “A psalm of David.” Contend, O LORD! with them that contend with me! Fight against them that fight against me!
By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who 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 Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “I am thy salvation.”
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5 May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.
6 May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue them!
Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.
7 For without cause they have laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
8 May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!
Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9 Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 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?
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?”
11 False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12 They repay me evil for good; They cause bereavement to my soul.
They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.
13 And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my bosom.
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for his mother.
I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
15 But at my fall they rejoice, and gather themselves together; Revilers whom I know not assemble themselves against me; They tear me without ceasing.
But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
16 With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 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!
Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
18 I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
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 triumph over me; Let them not wink with the eye, who hate me without cause!
Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they speak not peace; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
You have seen it, LORD. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me.
23 Arouse thyself; awake for my defence! My God and my Lord, awake to my cause!
Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
24 Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Jehovah, my God! Let them not triumph over me!
Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha! we have our wish!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 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!
Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.
27 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!”
Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
