Psalms 35
1 David’s. Contend, O Yahweh, with them who contend with me, Make war upon them who make war upon me.
By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.
3 Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell 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 those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonour. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:
Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.
6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.
Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing 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 hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have 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!
Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.
9 But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall be glad in his salvation.
My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice 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, “LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:
Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.
They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving 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 sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into 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 myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns 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 in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Like the profane mockers in feasts, 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.
Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, 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 give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you amongst 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!
Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;
For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!
Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:
You have seen it, LORD. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me.
23 Bestir thyself and wake up, to my vindication, O my God and My Lord!—to my plea:
Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!
24 Vindicate me according to thy righteousness, O Yahweh, my God! And let them not rejoice over me:
Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t 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!
Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them 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.
Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour who magnify themselves 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 those who favour my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May The LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!
My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.
