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 himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;
Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me.
3 Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!
Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. 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:
Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:
May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.
May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
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 have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. Over nothing, they have rebuked 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!
Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: and may he fall into that very snare.
9 But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall be glad in his salvation.
But my soul will exult in the Lord and delight over 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 say, “Lord, who is like you?” He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.
11 There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:
Unfair witnesses have risen up, interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.
12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.
They repaid me evil for good, to the deprivation 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:
But as for me, when they were harassing me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will become my sinews.
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.
Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.
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;
And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.
16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. They gnashed their teeth over me.
17 My Lord! how long wilt thou look on? Bring back my soul out of their raging, from among lions, my solitary self.
Lord, when will you look down upon me? Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.
18 I will thank thee, in the midst of a great convocation, —In the midst of a mighty people, will I praise thee.
I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty 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!
May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.
20 For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;
For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit.
21 Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!
And they opened their mouth wide over me. They said, “Well, well, our eyes have seen.”
22 Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:
You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. Lord, do not depart from me.
23 Bestir thyself and wake up, to my vindication, O my God and My Lord!—to my plea:
Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, 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:
Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, and do not let them be glad over me.
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha! to our mind! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up!
Do not let them say in their hearts, “Well, well, to our soul.” Neither let them say, “We have devoured him.”
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.
Let them blush and be in awe together, those who congratulate at my misfortunes. Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, who speak great things against me.
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.
Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, and let them ever say, “The Lord be magnified,” who will the peace of his servant.
28 Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!
And so my tongue will express your justice: your praise all day long.
