< Psalms 35 >
1 [A Psalm] of David. Strive thou, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight thou against them that fight against me.
By David. Strive, Jehovah, with my strivers, fight with my fighters,
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help,
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that pursue me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
And draw out spear and lance, To meet my pursuers. Say to my soul, 'Thy salvation I [am].'
4 Let them be ashamed and brought to dishonour that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt.
They are ashamed and blush, those seeking my soul, Turned backward and confounded, Those devising my evil.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the angel of the LORD driving [them] on.
They are as chaff before wind, And a messenger of Jehovah driving away.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, and the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
Their way is darkness and slipperiness, And a messenger of Jehovah their pursuer.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit, without cause have they digged [a pit] for my soul.
For without cause they hid for me their netpit, Without cause they digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: with destruction let him fall therein.
Meet him doth desolation — he knoweth not, And his net that he hid catcheth him, For desolation he falleth into it.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
And my soul is joyful in Jehovah, It rejoiceth in His salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
All my bones say, 'Jehovah, who is like Thee, Delivering the poor from the stronger than he, And the poor and needy from his plunderer.'
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I know not.
Violent witnesses rise up, That which I have not known they ask me.
12 They reward me evil for good, [to] the bereaving of my soul.
They pay me evil for good, bereaving 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 mine own bosom.
And I — in their sickness my clothing [is] sackcloth, I have humbled with fastings my soul, And my prayer unto my bosom returneth.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother.
As [if] a friend, as [if] my brother, I walked habitually, As a mourner for a mother, Mourning I have bowed down.
15 But when I halted they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
And — in my halting they have rejoiced, And have been gathered together, Gathered against me were the smiters, And I have not known, They have rent, and they have not ceased;
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
With profane ones, mockers in feasts, Gnashing against me their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
Lord, how long dost thou behold? Keep back my soul from their desolations, From young lions my only one.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
I thank Thee in a great assembly, Among a mighty people I praise Thee.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
Mine enemies rejoice not over me [with] falsehood, Those hating me without cause wink the eye.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
For they speak not peace, And against the quiet of the land, Deceitful words they devise,
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me; they said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
And they enlarge against me their mouth, They said, 'Aha, aha, our eye hath seen.'
22 Thou hast seen it, O LORD; keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
Thou hast seen, O Jehovah, Be not silent, O Lord — be not far from me,
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, [even] unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
Stir up, and wake to my judgment, My God, and my Lord, to my plea.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
Judge me according to Thy righteousness, O Jehovah my God, And they do not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
They do not say in their heart, 'Aha, our desire.' They do not say, 'We swallowed him up.'
26 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
They are ashamed and confounded together, Who are rejoicing at my evil. They put on shame and confusion, Who are magnifying themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, The LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
They sing and rejoice, who are desiring my righteousness, And they say continually, 'Jehovah is magnified, Who is desiring the peace of His servant.'
28 And my tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, [and] of thy praise all the day long.
And my tongue uttereth Thy righteousness, All the day Thy praise!