Psalms 35
1 David’s. Contend, O Yahweh, with them who contend with me, Make war upon them who make war upon me.
Of David. Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;
Take up Your shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3 Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
4 Let them be ashamed and confounded, who are seeking my life, —Let them turn back and be put to the blush, who are devising my hurt:
May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plan to harm me be driven back and confounded.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:
May they be like chaff in the wind, as the angel of the LORD drives them away.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.
May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues.
7 For, without cause, have they hid for me, in a ditch, their net, —Without cause, have they digged [a pit] for my life.
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
8 There shall reach him a ruin he could not know, —Yea, his own net which he hath hidden, shall capture him, Into that ruin, shall he fall!
May ruin befall them by surprise; may the net they hid ensnare them; may they fall into the hazard they created.
9 But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall be glad in his salvation.
Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and exult in His salvation.
10 All my bones, shall say—O Yahweh, who is like unto thee? Rescuing the oppressed from one stronger than he, Yea the oppressed and the needy, from their spoiler.
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
11 There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:
Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.
They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
13 But, as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled, with fasting, my soul, though, my prayer, unto mine own bosom, might return:
Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, but my prayers returned unanswered.
14 Like as for a friend, like as for a brother of mine own, I walked to and fro, As though mourning for a mother, I gloomily bowed myself down.
I paced about as for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for his mother.
15 But, in mine overthrow, have they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together, —There gathered themselves together against me foolish men, and I knew it not, They have torn in pieces, and not been silent;
But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing.
16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 My Lord! how long wilt thou look on? Bring back my soul out of their raging, from among lions, my solitary self.
How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
18 I will thank thee, in the midst of a great convocation, —In the midst of a mighty people, will I praise thee.
Then I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
19 Let not them who are falsely my foes rejoice over me, As for them who hate me without cause, let them not wink the eye!
Let not my enemies gloat over me without cause, nor those who hate me without reason wink in malice.
20 For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
21 Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!
They gape at me and say, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”
22 Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:
O LORD, You have seen it; be not silent. O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Bestir thyself and wake up, to my vindication, O my God and My Lord!—to my plea:
Awake and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me according to thy righteousness, O Yahweh, my God! And let them not rejoice over me:
Vindicate me by Your righteousness, O LORD my God, and do not let them gloat over me.
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha! to our mind! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up!
Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, just what we wanted!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let them turn pale, and then at once blush, who are rejoicing at my misfortune, —Let them be clothed with shame and confusion, who are magnifying themselves against me.
May those who gloat in my distress be ashamed and confounded; may those who exalt themselves over me be clothed in shame and reproach.
27 Let them shout in triumph and rejoice, who are desiring my justification; And let them say continually, Yahweh be magnified, Who hath taken pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
May those who favor my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “Exalted be the LORD who delights in His servant’s well-being.”
28 Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!
Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
