Psalms 35

1 Of David. O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.

[By David.] Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

2 Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

3 Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.

Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation."

4 Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

5 Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.

Let them be as chaff before the wind, The LORD's angel driving them on.

6 Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.

Let their way be dark and slippery, The LORD's angel pursuing them.

7 For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.

For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

8 Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.

Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

9 And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.

My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.

All my bones shall say, "LORD, 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 False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.

Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I do not know about.

12 They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.

They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.

13 But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.

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 they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.

But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I did not know it. They tore at me, and did not cease.

16 Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.

When I tripped, they mocked me relentlessly; they gnashed their teeth at me.

17 Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

LORD, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

18 I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.

I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people.

19 Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.

Do not let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause and wink their eyes.

20 For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.

For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

21 Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha. Aha. Our eye has seen it."

22 You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.

You have seen it, LORD. Do not keep silent. LORD, do not be far from me.

23 Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.

Wake up. Rise up to defend me, my God. My Lord, contend for me.

24 Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.

Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Do not let them gloat over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, So we will have it: let them not say, We have put an end to him.

Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha. Aha. Our desire." Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up."

26 Let all those who take pleasure in my troubles be shamed and come to nothing: let those who are lifted up against me be covered with shame and have no honour.

Let them be put to shame 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 are on my side give cries of joy; let them ever say, The Lord be praised, for he has pleasure in the peace of his servant.

Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant."

28 And my tongue will be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day.

My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.