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By David.

35 Contend, Yahweh, with those who contend with me.
    Fight against those who fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler,
    and stand up for my help.
Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me.
    Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor.
    Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.
Let them be as chaff before the wind,
    Yahweh’s angel driving them on.
Let their way be dark and slippery,
    Yahweh’s angel pursuing them.
For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me.
    Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.
Let destruction come on him unawares.
    Let his net that he has hidden catch himself.
    Let him fall into that destruction.

My soul shall be joyful in Yahweh.
    It shall rejoice in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, “Yahweh, who is like you,
    who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him;
    yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”
11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up.
    They ask me about things that I don’t know about.
12 They reward me evil for good,
    to the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
    I afflicted my soul with fasting.
    My prayer returned into my own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother.
    I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.
15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together.
    The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it.
    They tore at me, and didn’t cease.
16 Like the profane mockers in feasts,
    they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on?
    Rescue my soul from their destruction,
    my precious life from the lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly.
    I will praise you among many people.
19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me;
    neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.
20 For they don’t speak peace,
    but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me.
    They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
22 You have seen it, Yahweh. Don’t keep silent.
    Lord, don’t be far from me.
23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God!
    My Lord, contend for me!
24 Vindicate me, Yahweh my God, according to your righteousness.
    Don’t let them gloat over me.
25 Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!”
    Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity.
    Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me.

27 Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad.
    Yes, let them say continually, “May Yahweh be magnified,
    who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

Psalm 35

Prayer for Victory

Of David.

Oppose my opponents, Lord;
fight those who fight me.(A)
Take your shields—large and small—
and come to my aid.(B)
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,
and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”(C)

Let those who intend to take my life
be disgraced and humiliated;
let those who plan to harm me
be turned back and ashamed.(D)
Let them be like chaff in the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away.(E)
Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.(F)
They hid their net for me without cause;
they dug a pit for me without cause.(G)
Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,
and let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his ruin.(H)

Then I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will delight in his deliverance.(I)
10 All my bones will say,
Lord, who is like you,(J)
rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,
the poor or the needy from one who robs him?” (K)

11 Malicious witnesses come forward;
they question me about things I do not know.(L)
12 They repay me evil for good,
making me desolate.(M)
13 Yet when they were sick,
my clothing was sackcloth;
I humbled myself with fasting,
and my prayer was genuine.[a](N)
14 I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother;
I was bowed down with grief,
like one mourning for a mother.(O)
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
they gathered against me.
Assailants I did not know
tore at me and did not stop.(P)
16 With godless mockery[b]
they gnashed their teeth at me.(Q)

17 Lord, how long will you look on?(R)
Rescue me from their ravages;
rescue my precious life from the young lions.(S)
18 I will praise you in the great assembly;
I will exalt you among many people.(T)
19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me;
do not let those who hate me without cause(U)
wink at me maliciously.(V)
20 For they do not speak in friendly ways,
but contrive fraudulent schemes[c]
against those who live peacefully in the land.(W)
21 They open their mouths wide against me and say,
“Aha, aha! We saw it!” [d](X)

22 You saw it, Lord; do not be silent.
Lord, do not be far from me.(Y)
23 Wake up and rise to my defense,
to my cause, my God and my Lord!(Z)
24 Vindicate me, Lord my God,
in keeping with your righteousness,
and do not let them rejoice over me.(AA)
25 Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! Just what we wanted.”
Do not let them say,
“We have swallowed him up!” (AB)
26 Let those who rejoice at my misfortune
be disgraced and humiliated;
let those who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and reproach.(AC)

27 Let those who want my vindication
shout for joy and be glad;
let them continually say,
“The Lord be exalted.
He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.”(AD)
28 And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praise all day long.(AE)

Footnotes

  1. 35:13 Lit prayer returned to my chest
  2. 35:16 Hb obscure
  3. 35:20 Lit but devise fraudulent words
  4. 35:21 Lit Our eyes saw!