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Psalm 35

A Psalm of David.

Plead my cause, O Lord, with my adversaries;
    fight those who fight me.
Take hold of the large shield and small shield,
    and rise up for my help.
Draw the spear and javelin
    against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
    “I am Your salvation.”

May those who seek my life
    be ashamed and humiliated;
may those who plan my injury
    be turned back and put to shame.
May they be as chaff before the wind,
    and may the angel of the Lord cast them down.
May their way be dark and slippery,
    and may the angel of the Lord pursue them.

For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
    which they have dug without cause for my soul.
Let destruction come on him without warning,
    and let the net that he hid ensnare him;
    let him fall into it, to his destruction.
My soul will be joyful in the Lord;
    it will rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my bones will say,
    Lord, who is like You,
who delivers the poor from a stronger one,
    the poor and the needy from the one who robs them?”

11 Witnesses intent on violence rose up;
    they accused me of things I knew nothing about.
12 They rewarded me evil for good,
    the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;
    I humbled my soul with fasting;
and my prayer returns to my own heart.
14 I paced as though he were my friend or brother;
    I bowed down lamenting,
    as one who mourns for a mother.
15 But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together;
    assailants gathered together against me, though I was unaware;
    they tore me apart and did not stop;
16 with hypocritical mockers in feasts,
    they gnashed on me with their teeth.

17 Lord, how long will You look on?
    Rescue my soul from their destructions,
    my life from the lions.
18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation;
    I will praise You among a mighty people.
19 May my deceitful enemies
    not rejoice over me;
nor may those who hate me without cause
    wink with their eye.
20 For they do not speak peace,
    but they devise deceitful matters
    against the restful ones in the land.
21 They opened their mouth wide against me,
    and said, “Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.”

22 This You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent;
    O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Rouse Yourself and awake for my judgment,
    for my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
    and may they not rejoice over me.
25 May they not say in their hearts, “Ah, we have our soul’s desire.”
    May they not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 May those who rejoice at my harm be ashamed
    and altogether put to shame;
may they be clothed with shame and dishonor
    who magnify themselves against me.
27 May those who favor my righteous cause
    shout for joy and be glad;
may they say continually, “The Lord be magnified,
    who delights in the peace of His servant.”

28 My tongue will speak of Your righteousness
    and of Your praise all the day long.

Psalm 35

Of David.

Contend,(A) Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight(B) against those who fight against me.
Take up shield(C) and armor;
    arise(D) and come to my aid.(E)
Brandish spear(F) and javelin[a](G)
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    “I am your salvation.(H)

May those who seek my life(I)
    be disgraced(J) and put to shame;(K)
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back(L) in dismay.
May they be like chaff(M) before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord(N) driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net(O) for me without cause(P)
    and without cause dug a pit(Q) for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—(R)
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit,(S) to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice(T) in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.(U)
10 My whole being will exclaim,
    “Who is like you,(V) Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong(W) for them,
    the poor and needy(X) from those who rob them.”

11 Ruthless witnesses(Y) come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for good(Z)
    and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth(AA)
    and humbled myself with fasting.(AB)
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14     I went about mourning(AC)
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;(AD)
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered(AE) me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;[b](AF)
    they gnashed their teeth(AG) at me.

17 How long,(AH) Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life(AI) from these lions.(AJ)
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;(AK)
    among the throngs(AL) I will praise you.(AM)
19 Do not let those gloat over me
    who are my enemies(AN) without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason(AO)
    maliciously wink the eye.(AP)
20 They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations(AQ)
    against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneer(AR) at me and say, “Aha! Aha!(AS)
    With our own eyes we have seen it.”

22 Lord, you have seen(AT) this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far(AU) from me, Lord.
23 Awake,(AV) and rise(AW) to my defense!
    Contend(AX) for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat(AY) over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,(AZ) just what we wanted!”
    or say, “We have swallowed him up.”(BA)

26 May all who gloat(BB) over my distress(BC)
    be put to shame(BD) and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me(BE)
    be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindication(BF)
    shout for joy(BG) and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
    who delights(BH) in the well-being of his servant.”(BI)

28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,(BJ)
    your praises all day long.(BK)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 35:3 Or and block the way
  2. Psalm 35:16 Septuagint; Hebrew may mean Like an ungodly circle of mockers,