< Psalms 35 >
1 Of David. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
Of David. O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.
2 Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.
Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.
3 Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.
4 Dishonor and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.
5 As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.
6 Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.
7 For they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.
8 Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.
9 Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.
10 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?”
All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.
11 Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.
12 Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.
13 But when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.
14 as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments his mother.
My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.
15 When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
But they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.
16 impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.
Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.
17 How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.
Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.
18 I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many people.
I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.
19 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.
Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.
20 For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.
21 With wide open mouths they shout, “Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.”
Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.
22 But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.
You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.
25 inwardly saying, “Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now we have swallowed him up.”
Let them not say in their hearts, So we will have it: let them not say, We have put an end to him.
26 Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonor be those who are haughty to me!
Let all those who take pleasure in my troubles be shamed and come to nothing: let those who are lifted up against me be covered with shame and have no honour.
27 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.”
Let those who are on my side give cries of joy; let them ever say, The Lord be praised, for he has pleasure in the peace of his servant.
28 Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
And my tongue will be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day.