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.

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

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

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

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

Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: 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 that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

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

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

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

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

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 hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached 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 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 Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.

But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight 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 shall say, O Lord, who is like to you? delivering the poor out of the hand of them that are stronger than he, yes, the poor and needy one from them that spoil him.

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

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

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

They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to 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 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 behaued my selfe as to my friend, or as to my brother: I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his 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 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,

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

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

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

O Lord, when will you look upon me? Deliver my soul from their mischief, mine only-begotten one from the lions.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

And they opened wide their mouth upon me; 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 [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [yourself] from me.

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

Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgement, [even] to 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.

Judge me, O Lord, according to your righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against 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, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured 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 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 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 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 And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.

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