Psalms 35

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

Strive thou, O Jehovah, with those who strive with me. Fight thou against those who fight against me.

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

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

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

Draw out the spear also, and stop the way against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 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 put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and confounded who devise my hurt.

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.

Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the agent of Jehovah driving them on.

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.

Let their way be dark and slippery, and the agent of Jehovah pursuing them.

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

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

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

Let destruction come upon him unawares, and let his net that he has hid catch himself. Let him fall in it with destruction.

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

And my soul shall be joyful in Jehovah. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 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?”

All my bones shall say, Jehovah, who is like thee, who delivers a poor man from him who is too strong for him, yea, a poor and needy man from him who robs him?

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

Unrighteous witnesses rise up, they ask me of things that I know not.

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

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.

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

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

15 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.

But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The wretches gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not. They tore me, and ceased not.

16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.

Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

Lord, how long will thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

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

I will give thee thanks in the great assembly. I will praise thee among much people.

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

Let not those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me. Neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.

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

For they speak not 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!”

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, Aha, aha, our eye has seen it.

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

Thou have seen it, O Jehovah. Keep not silence. O Lord, be not far from me.

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

Stir up thyself, and awake to the justice to me, to my cause, my God and my Lord.

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

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

25 Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

Let them not say in their heart, Aha, so would we have it. Let them not 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.

Let them be put to shame and confounded together who rejoice at my hurt. 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 the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, who favor my righteous cause. Yea, let them say continually, Jehovah 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.

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