Psalm 35:11-28

New Living Translation

¹¹ Malicious witnesses testify against me.
    They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good.
    I am sick with despair.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.
    I denied myself by fasting for them,
    but my prayers returned unanswered.
¹⁴ I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,
    as if I were grieving for my own mother.
¹⁵ But they are glad now that I am in trouble;
    they gleefully join together against me.
I am attacked by people I don’t even know;
    they slander me constantly.
¹⁶ They mock me and call me names;
    they snarl at me.

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?
    Rescue me from their fierce attacks.
    Protect my life from these lions!
¹⁸ Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.
    I will praise you before all the people.
¹⁹ Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
    Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.
²⁰ They don’t talk of peace;
    they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.
²¹ They shout, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

²² O Lord, you know all about this.
    Do not stay silent.
    Do not abandon me now, O Lord.
²³ Wake up! Rise to my defense!
    Take up my case, my God and my Lord.
²⁴ Declare me not guilty, O Lord my God, for you give justice.
    Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.
²⁵ Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!
    Now we will eat him alive!”

²⁶ May those who rejoice at my troubles
    be humiliated and disgraced.
May those who triumph over me
    be covered with shame and dishonor.
²⁷ But give great joy to those who came to my defense.
    Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord,
    who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”
²⁸ Then I will proclaim your justice,
    and I will praise you all day long.