Psalms 35

1 Of David. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.

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

2 Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.

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

3 Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.

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

4 Dishonour and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!

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 As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.

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

6 Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.

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

7 For they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.

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

8 Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.

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

9 Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;

My soul shall be joyful in Jehovah. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 and all my being will say, ‘Who, O Lord, is like you, who save the helpless from those too strong for them, the poor and the helpless from those who despoil them?’

All my bones shall say, "Jehovah, 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 Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.

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

12 Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.

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

13 But when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,

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 as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments his mother.

I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

15 When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,

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 impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.

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

17 How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.

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

18 I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many people.

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

19 Suffer not those to rejoice over me who are falsely my foes, suffer not those who without cause abhor me to wink with the eye.

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 it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.

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

21 With wide open mouths they shout, ‘Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.’

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

22 But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.

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

23 Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.

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

24 You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,

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

25 inwardly saying, ‘Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now we have swallowed him up.’

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

26 Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonour be those who are haughty to me!

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 such as delight in my cause ring out their gladness, and say evermore, ‘Great is the Lord whose delight is the well-being of his servant.’

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

28 Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.

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