Psalm 35:1-16

Tree of Life Version

¹ A psalm of David.
Adonai, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight me.
² Take hold of shield and buckler,
and rise up to my help.
³ Draw out also a spear and battle-axe.
Stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
⁴ May those who seek my life
be ashamed and disgraced.
May they be turned back and humiliated
—those who plot evil against me.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai driving them off.
⁶ May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai pursuing them.
⁷ For without cause they hid their net for me,
and without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
⁸ Let ruin come upon him by surprise.
Let the net he hid entangle himself
—into that same pit let him fall.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in Adonai
and delight in His salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones will say:
“Adonai, who is like You,
rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,
the poor and needy from one who robs him?”
¹¹ Violent witnesses rise up.
They question me about things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good—
my soul is forlorn.
¹³ But as for me, when they were sick,
    my clothing was sackcloth.
I afflicted my soul with fasting,
    my prayer kept returning to my heart.
¹⁴ I went about mourning as though for my own friend or brother.
I bowed down dressed in black as though for my own mother.
¹⁵ But at my stumbling they gathered in glee.
Wretches gathered against me whom I did not know,
    tearing at me without ceasing.
¹⁶ They mocked profanely, as if at a feast,
they gnashed at me with their teeth.