Psalm 35
Christian Standard Bible
Psalm 35
Prayer for Victory
Of David.
1 Oppose my opponents, Lord;
fight those who fight me.(A)
2 Take your shields—large and small—
and come to my aid.(B)
3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,
and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”(C)
4 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)
5 Let them be like chaff in the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away.(E)
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.(F)
7 They hid their net for me without cause;
they dug a pit for me without cause.(G)
8 Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,
and let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his ruin.(H)
9 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)
Psalm 35
English Standard Version
Great Is the Lord
Of David.
35 Contend, O Lord, with those who (A)contend with me;
(B)fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of (C)shield and buckler
and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin[a]
against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation!”
4 (D)Let them be (E)put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be (F)turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like (G)chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and (H)slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7 For (I)without cause (J)they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug (K)a pit for my life.[b]
8 Let (L)destruction come upon him (M)when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
(N)exulting in his salvation.
10 All my (O)bones shall say,
“O Lord, (P)who is like you,
delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
11 (Q)Malicious[c] witnesses rise up;
they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 (R)They repay me evil for good;
my soul is bereft.[d]
13 But I, (S)when they were sick—
I (T)wore sackcloth;
I (U)afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed (V)with head bowed[e] on my chest.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother,
I (W)bowed down in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
they gathered together against me;
(X)wretches whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast,[f]
they (Y)gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will you (Z)look on?
Rescue me from their destruction,
(AA)my precious life from the lions!
18 I will thank you in (AB)the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 (AC)Let not those rejoice over me
who are (AD)wrongfully my foes,
and let not those (AE)wink the eye
who (AF)hate me (AG)without cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they devise words of deceit.
21 They (AH)open wide their mouths against me;
they say, (AI)“Aha, Aha!
Our eyes have seen it!”
22 (AJ)You have seen, O Lord; (AK)be not silent!
O Lord, (AL)be not far from me!
23 Awake and (AM)rouse yourself for (AN)my vindication,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 (AO)Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and (AP)let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts,
(AQ)“Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, (AR)“We have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them be (AS)put to shame and disappointed altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be (AT)clothed with shame and dishonor
who (AU)magnify themselves against me!
27 Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
(AV)and say evermore,
(AW)“Great is the Lord,
who (AX)delights in the welfare of his servant!”
28 Then my (AY)tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.
Footnotes
- Psalm 35:3 Or and close the way
- Psalm 35:7 The word pit is transposed from the preceding line; Hebrew For without cause they hid the pit of their net for me; without cause they dug for my life
- Psalm 35:11 Or Violent
- Psalm 35:12 Hebrew it is bereavement to my soul
- Psalm 35:13 Or my prayer shall turn back
- Psalm 35:16 The meaning of the Hebrew phrase is uncertain
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
