35 ⁽⁰⁾ By David:

⁽¹⁾ Adonai, oppose those who oppose me;
fight against those who fight against me.
² Grasp your shield and protective gear,
and rise to my defense.
³ Brandish spear and battle-axe
against my pursuers;
let me hear you say,
“I am your salvation.”

⁴ May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to confusion;
may those who are plotting harm for me
be repulsed and put to shame.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai to drive them on.
⁶ May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai to pursue them.
⁷ For unprovoked, they hid their net over a pit;
unprovoked, they dug it for me.
⁸ May destruction come over him unawares.
May the net he concealed catch himself;
may he fall into it and be destroyed.

⁹ Then I will be joyful in Adonai,
I will rejoice in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones will say,
“Who is like you?
Who can rescue the weak
from those stronger than they,
the poor and needy
from those who exploit them?”

¹¹ Malicious witnesses come forward,
asking me things about which I know nothing.
¹² They repay me evil for good;
it makes me feel desolate as a parent bereaved.
¹³ But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth;
I put myself out and fasted;
I can pray that what I prayed for them
might also happen to me.
¹⁴ I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother;
I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.

¹⁵ But when I stumble, they gather in glee;
they gather against me and strike me unawares;
they tear me apart unceasingly.
¹⁶ With ungodly mocking and grimacing,
they grind their teeth at me.
¹⁷ Adonai, how much longer will you look on?
Rescue me from their assaults,
save the one life I have from the lions!

¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly,
I will give you praise among huge crowds of people.
¹⁹ Don’t let those who are wrongfully my enemies
gloat over me;
and those who hate me unprovoked —
don’t let them smirk at me.

²⁰ For they don’t speak words of peace
but devise ways to deceive
the peaceful of the land.
²¹ They shout to accuse me, “Aha! Aha!
we saw you with our own eyes!”
²² You saw them, Adonai; don’t stay silent.
Adonai, don’t stay far away from me.

²³ Wake up! Get up, my God, my Lord!
Defend me and my cause!
²⁴ Give judgment for me, Adonai, my God,
as your righteousness demands.

Don’t let them gloat over me.
²⁵ Don’t let them say to themselves,
“Aha! We got what we wanted!”
or say, “We swallowed them up!”
²⁶ May those who gloat over my distress
be disgraced and humiliated.
May those who aggrandize themselves at my expense
be covered with shame and confusion.

²⁷ But may those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad!
Let them say always, “How great is Adonai,
who delights in the peace of his servant!”
²⁸ Then my tongue will tell of your righteousness
and praise you all day long.