Psalm 35
King James Version
35 Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 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 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.
7 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 come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 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 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling 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 returned into mine own bosom.
14 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 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 hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
19 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 speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 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 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 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.
Psalm 35
Lexham English Bible
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
Of David.[a]
35 Contend, O Yahweh, with my contenders;
fight those who fight me.
2 Grasp buckler and shield
and rise to my aid.
3 And draw the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated.
Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Yahweh driving them.[b]
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.
7 For without cause they secretly hide the pit with their net for me;
without cause they dug it for my life.
8 Let unforeseen ruin[c] come on him,
and his net that he hid, let it catch him.
Let him fall into it in ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoice in Yahweh;
it will rejoice in his salvation.
10 All of my bones shall say, “O Yahweh, who is like you,
who delivers the poor from one stronger than he
and the poor and needy from the one who robs him?”
11 Violent witnesses rise up;
they ask me concerning what I do not know.
12 They repay me evil in place of good.
It is bereavement to my soul.
13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
I weakened my soul with fasting,
and my prayer returned to me unanswered.[d]
14 I behaved[e] as though he were a friend or as a brother to me.
As one lamenting a mother, I was bowed down in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together;
smiters whom I did not know gathered against me.
They tore and did not cease.
16 Among the ungodly of the mockers at feasts,[f]
they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 My Lord, how long will you watch?
Restore my life from their ravages,[g]
my only life from the young lions.
18 I will give thanks to you in the great assembly;
among the mighty people I will praise you.
19 Let not those who are wrongfully my enemies[h] rejoice over me.
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but against the quiet ones of the land
they plan deceitful words.
21 They also made wide their mouths[i] against me.
They said, “Aha! Aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”
22 You have seen, O Yahweh. Do not be deaf.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Wake up and rouse yourself for my right,
for my cause, O my God and my Lord.
24 Vindicate me according to your righteousness,
O Yahweh my God,
and do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their hearts,[j] “Aha, our desire.”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be shamed and abashed altogether,
who rejoice at my misfortune.
Let them put on shame and insult,
who magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy and be glad,
who delight in my vindication;
and let them say continually, “Yahweh is great,
who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
28 Then my tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
and your praise all day.
Footnotes
- Psalm 35:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
- Psalm 35:5 Literally “pushing”
- Psalm 35:8 Literally “ruin he does not know”
- Psalm 35:13 Literally “upon my lap it will return”
- Psalm 35:14 Literally “walked about”
- Psalm 35:16 With a slight change the Hebrew might read, “The ungodly boldly mocked”
- Psalm 35:17 Or “roaring”
- Psalm 35:19 Or “those who oppose me with falsehood”
- Psalm 35:21 Hebrew “mouth”
- Psalm 35:25 Hebrew “heart”
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