Psalms 35
1 David’s. Contend, O Yahweh, with them who contend with me, Make war upon them who make war upon me.
[A Psalm] of David. Judge you, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;
Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.
3 Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!
Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that 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 that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:
Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.
Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting 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 hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached 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 a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.
9 But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall be glad in his salvation.
But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight 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 shall say, O Lord, who is like to you? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yes, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.
11 There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:
Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.
12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.
They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to 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 I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.
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 behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbor [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.
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;
Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.
16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.
17 My Lord! how long wilt thou look on? Bring back my soul out of their raging, from among lions, my solitary self.
O Lord, when will you look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from 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 give thanks to you even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise you.
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 them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.
20 For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;
For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.
21 Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!
And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].
22 Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:
You have seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [yourself] from me.
23 Bestir thyself and wake up, to my vindication, O my God and My Lord!—to my plea:
Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] 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, O Lord, according to your righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against 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, aha, [it is pleasing] 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 be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words 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 that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.
28 Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!
And my tongue shall meditate on your righteousness, [and] on your praise all the day.
