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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.

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

35 Contend, Lord, with those who (A)contend with me;
Fight against those who (B)fight against me.
Take hold of [a](C)buckler and shield
And rise up as (D)my help.
Draw also the spear and [b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am (E)your salvation.”
Let those be (F)ashamed and dishonored who seek my [c]life;
Let those be (G)turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
Let them be (H)like chaff before the wind,
With the angel of the Lord driving them on.
Let their way be dark and (I)slippery,
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
For (J)they (K)hid their net for me without cause;
Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
Let (L)destruction come upon him when he is unaware,
And (M)let the net which he hid catch him;
Let him fall into that very (N)destruction.

So my soul shall (O)rejoice in the Lord;
It shall (P)rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my (Q)bones will say, “Lord, (R)who is like You,
Who rescues the afflicted from one (S)who is too strong for him,
And (T)the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”
11 (U)Malicious witnesses rise up;
They ask me things that I do not know.
12 They (V)repay me evil for good,
To the bereavement of my soul.
13 But as for me, (W)when they were sick, my (X)clothing was sackcloth;
I (Y)humbled my soul with fasting,
But my (Z)prayer kept returning to [d]me.
14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;
I (AA)bowed down [e]in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.
15 But (AB)at my [f]stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;
The [g](AC)afflicted people whom I did not know gathered together against me,
They [h](AD)slandered me without ceasing.
16 Like godless jesters at a feast,
They (AE)gnashed at me with their teeth.

17 Lord, (AF)how long will You look on?
Rescue my soul (AG)from their ravages,
My (AH)only life from the lions.
18 I will (AI)give You thanks in the great congregation;
I will (AJ)praise You among a mighty people.
19 (AK)Do not let those who are wrongfully (AL)my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those (AM)who hate me for no reason [i](AN)wink maliciously.
20 For they do not speak peace,
But they devise (AO)deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.
21 They (AP)opened their mouth wide against me;
They said, “(AQ)Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

22 (AR)You have seen it, Lord, (AS)do not keep silent;
Lord, (AT)do not be far from me.
23 (AU)Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 (AV)Judge me, Lord my God, according to Your righteousness,
And (AW)do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their heart, “(AX)Aha, our desire!”
Do not let them say, “We have (AY)swallowed him up!”
26 May (AZ)those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress;
May those who (BA)exalt themselves over me be (BB)clothed with shame and dishonor.

27 May those (BC)shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in (BD)my vindication;
And (BE)may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted,
Who (BF)delights in the prosperity of His servant.”
28 And (BG)my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness
And Your praise all day long.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 35:2 I.e., small shield
  2. Psalm 35:3 Or close up the path against those
  3. Psalm 35:4 Or soul
  4. Psalm 35:13 Lit my chest
  5. Psalm 35:14 Or dressed for mourning
  6. Psalm 35:15 Or limping
  7. Psalm 35:15 Or struck ones
  8. Psalm 35:15 Lit tore
  9. Psalm 35:19 Or wink the eye