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, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;
Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.
3 Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!
Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
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:
Dishonour and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:
As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.
Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
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 they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
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!
Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
9 But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall be glad in his salvation.
Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
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.
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?’
11 There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:
Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.
Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
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 when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
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.
as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments 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;
When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
impiously mocking and mocking, bearing 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, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life 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 then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before 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!
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.
20 For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;
For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
21 Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!
With wide open mouths they shout, ‘Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.’
22 Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:
But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, 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:
Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
24 Vindicate me according to thy righteousness, O Yahweh, my God! And let them not rejoice over me:
You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
25 Let them not say in their heart, Aha! to our mind! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up!
inwardly saying, ‘Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now 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.
Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonour be those who are haughty to 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 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.’
28 Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!
Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
