Psalms 35

1 A psalm of David. Yahweh, work against those who work against me; fight against those who fight against me.

PLEAD my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

2 Grab your small shield and large shield; rise up and help me.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

3 Use your spear and battle ax against those who chase me; say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 May those who seek my life be shamed and dishonored. May those who plan to harm me be turned back and confounded.

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5 May they be as chaff before the wind, as the angel of Yahweh drives them away.

Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

6 May their way be dark and slippery, as the angel of Yahweh chases them.

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

7 Without cause they set their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

8 Let destruction overtake them by surprise. Let the net that they have set catch them. Let them fall into it, to their destruction.

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 But I will be joyful in Yahweh and rejoice in his salvation.

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who rescues the oppressed from those who are too strong for them and the poor and needy from those who try to rob them?”

All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they accuse me falsely.

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They repay me evil for good. I am sorrowful.

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I fasted for them with my head bowed on my chest.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

14 I went about in grief as for my brother; I bent down in mourning as for my mother.

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 But when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together against me, and I was surprised by them. They tore at me without stopping.

But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

16 With no respect at all they mocked me; they grind their teeth at me in rage.

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destructive attacks, my life from the lions.

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

18 Then I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you among many people.

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let them carry out their wicked schemes.

Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those in our land who live in peace.

For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

21 They open their mouths wide against me; they said, “Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it.”

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

22 You have seen it, Yahweh, do not be silent; Lord, do not be far from me.

This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Arouse yourself and awake to my defense; My God and my Lord, defend my cause.

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Defend me, Yahweh my God, because of your righteousness; do not let them rejoice over me.

Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, we have what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him.”

Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

26 May they be put to shame and may they be confounded who rejoice at my distress. May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

27 Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad; may they say continually, “Yahweh be praised, he who delights in the welfare of his servant.”

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

28 Then I will tell of your justice and praise you all day long.

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.