Psalms 35

1 A psalm of David. Yahweh, work against those who work against me; fight against those who fight against me.

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

2 Grab your small shield and large shield; rise up and help me.

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

3 Use your spear and battle ax against those who chase me; say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

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

4 May those who seek my life be shamed and dishonored. May those who plan to harm me be turned back and confounded.

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 May they be as chaff before the wind, as the angel of Yahweh drives them away.

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

6 May their way be dark and slippery, as the angel of Yahweh chases them.

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

7 Without cause they set their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

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

8 Let destruction overtake them by surprise. Let the net that they have set catch them. Let them fall into it, to their destruction.

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 But I will be joyful in Yahweh and rejoice in his salvation.

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

10 All my bones will say, “Yahweh, who is like you, who rescues the oppressed from those who are too strong for them and the poor and needy from those who try to rob them?”

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 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; they accuse me falsely.

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

12 They repay me evil for good. I am sorrowful.

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

13 But, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth; I fasted for them with my head bowed on my chest.

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 went about in grief as for my brother; I bent down in mourning as for my 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 when I stumbled, they rejoiced and gathered together; they gathered together against me, and I was surprised by them. They tore at me without stopping.

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 no respect at all they mocked me; they grind their teeth at me in rage.

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

17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destructive attacks, my life 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 Then I will thank you in the great assembly; I will praise you among many people.

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

19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let them carry out their wicked schemes.

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 do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those in our land who live in peace.

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

21 They open their mouths wide against me; they said, “Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it.”

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

22 You have seen it, Yahweh, do not be silent; Lord, do not be far from me.

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

23 Arouse yourself and awake to my defense; My God and my Lord, defend my cause.

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

24 Defend me, Yahweh my God, because of your righteousness; do not let them rejoice over me.

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

25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, we have what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have devoured him.”

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

26 May they be put to shame and may they be confounded who rejoice at my distress. May those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and dishonor.

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 those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad; may they say continually, “Yahweh be praised, he who delights in the welfare 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 Then I will tell of your justice and praise you all day long.

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