Psalms 35

1 A Psalme of Dauid. Pleade thou my cause, O Lord, with them that striue with me: fight thou against them, that fight against me.

Of David. O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.

2 Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe.

Be a breastplate to me, and give me your help.

3 Bring out also the speare and stop the way against them, that persecute me: say vnto my soule, I am thy saluation.

Take up your spear and keep back my attackers; say to my soul, I am your salvation.

4 Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seeke after my soule: let them be turned backe, and brought to confusion, that imagine mine hurt.

Let them be overcome and put to shame who make attempts to take my soul; let those who would do me damage be turned back and made foolish.

5 Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.

Let them be like dust from the grain before the wind; let the angel of the Lord send them in flight.

6 Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.

Let their way be dark and full of danger; let them be troubled by the angel of the Lord.

7 For without cause they haue hid the pit and their net for me: without cause haue they digged a pit for my soule.

For without cause they have put a net ready for me secretly, in which to take my soul.

8 Let destruction come vpon him at vnwares, and let his net, that he hath laid priuilie, take him: let him fall into the same destruction.

Let destruction come on them without their knowledge; let them be taken themselves in their secret nets, falling into the same destruction.

9 Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.

And my soul will have joy in the Lord; it will be glad in his salvation.

10 All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like vnto thee, which deliuerest the poore from him, that is too strong for him! yea, the poore and him that is in miserie, from him that spoyleth him!

All my bones will say, Lord, who is like you? The saviour of the poor man from the hands of the strong, of him who is poor and in need from him who takes his goods.

11 Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.

False witnesses got up: they put questions to me about crimes of which I had no knowledge.

12 They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.

They gave me back evil for good, troubling my soul.

13 Yet I, when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sacke: I humbled my soule with fasting: and my praier was turned vpon my bosome.

But as for me, when they were ill I put on the clothing of sorrow: I went without food and was sad, and my prayer came back again to my heart.

14 I behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother.

My behaviour was as if it had been my friend or my brother: I was bent low in grief like one whose mother is dead.

15 But in mine aduersitie they reioyced, and gathered them selues together: the abiects assembled themselues against me, and knewe not: they tare me and ceased not,

But they took pleasure in my trouble, and came together, yes, low persons came together against me without my knowledge; they never came to an end of wounding me.

16 With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.

Like men of deceit they put me to shame; the voice of their wrath was loud against me.

17 Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.

Lord, how long will you be looking on? take my soul from their destruction, my life from the lions.

18 So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

I will give you praise in the great meeting; I will give you honour among a strong people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies, vniustly reioyce ouer mee, neyther let them winke with the eye, that hate mee without a cause.

Do not let my haters be glad over me falsely; let not those who are against me without cause make sport of me.

20 For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.

For they do not say words of peace; in their deceit they are designing evil things against the quiet ones in the land.

21 And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.

Their mouths were open wide against me, and they said, Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it.

22 Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.

You have seen this, O Lord; be not unmoved: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.

Be awake, O Lord, be moved to take up my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.

Be my judge, O Lord my God, in your righteousness; do not let them be glad over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him.

Let them not say in their hearts, So we will have it: let them not say, We have put an end to him.

26 Let them bee confounded, and put to shame together, that reioyce at mine hurt: let them bee clothed with confusion and shame, that lift vp themselues against me.

Let all those who take pleasure in my troubles be shamed and come to nothing: let those who are lifted up against me be covered with shame and have no honour.

27 But let them be ioyful and glad, that loue my righteousnesse: yea, let them say alway, Let the Lord be magnified, which loueth the prosperitie of his seruant.

Let those who are on my side give cries of joy; let them ever say, The Lord be praised, for he has pleasure in the peace of his servant.

28 And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.

And my tongue will be talking of your righteousness and of your praise all the day.