Psalms 35
1 Of David himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me.
Of David. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
2 Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me.
Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as my help.
3 Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Draw spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
4 Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me.
Dishonor and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
5 May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in.
As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
6 May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them.
Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
7 For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. Over nothing, they have rebuked my soul.
For they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
8 Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: and may he fall into that very snare.
Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
9 But my soul will exult in the Lord and delight over his salvation.
Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
10 All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like you?” He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him.
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?”
11 Unfair witnesses have risen up, interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant.
Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
12 They repaid me evil for good, to the deprivation of my soul.
Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
13 But as for me, when they were harassing me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will become my sinews.
But when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
14 Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled.
as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments his mother.
15 And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it.
When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
16 They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. They gnashed their teeth over me.
impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.
17 Lord, when will you look down upon me? Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions.
How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.
18 I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty people.
I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many people.
19 May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes.
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.
20 For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit.
For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
21 And they opened their mouth wide over me. They said, “Well, well, our eyes have seen.”
With wide open mouths they shout, “Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.”
22 You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. Lord, do not depart from me.
But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
24 Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, and do not let them be glad over me.
You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
25 Do not let them say in their hearts, “Well, well, to our soul.” Neither let them say, “We have devoured him.”
inwardly saying, “Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now we have swallowed him up.”
26 Let them blush and be in awe together, those who congratulate at my misfortunes. Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, who speak great things against me.
Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonor be those who are haughty to me!
27 Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, and let them ever say, “The Lord be magnified,” who will the peace of his servant.
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.”
28 And so my tongue will express your justice: your praise all day long.
Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
