Psalms 35

1 PLEAD my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

[A Psalm] of David. Judge thou, O Lord, them that injure me, fight against them that fight against me.

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

Take hold of shield and buckler, and arise for my help.

3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them.

Let them be as dust before the wind, and an angel of the Lord afflicting them.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.

8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

Let a snare which they know not come upon them; and the gin which they hid take them; and let them fall into the very same snare.

9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like to thee? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yea, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Unjust witnesses arose, and asked me of things I new not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.

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

But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.

14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

I behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbour [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.

16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

They tempted me, they sneered at me most contemptuously, they gnashed their teeth upon me.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.

18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

I will give thanks to thee even in a great congregation: in an abundant people I will praise thee.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

For to me they spoke peaceably, but imagined deceits in [their] anger.

21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].

22 This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

Thou hast seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [thyself] from me.

23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

Judge me, O Lord, according to thy righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.

26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

Let them be confounded and ashamed together that rejoice at my afflictions: let them be clothed with shame and confusion that speak great swelling words against me.

27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

Let them that rejoice in my righteousness exult and be glad: and let them say continually, The Lord be magnified, who desire the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

And my tongue shall meditate on thy righteousness, [and] on thy praise all the day.