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.” Contend, O LORD! with them that contend with 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 stand up 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.
Draw forth the spear and the axe against my persecutors; Say to me, “I am thy 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.
May they be confounded and put to shame, who seek my life; May they be turned back with disgrace, who devise my hurt!
5 Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.
May they be like dust before the wind; May the angel of the LORD drive them!
6 Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.
May their way be dark and slippery, And may the angel of the LORD pursue 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 laid for me a snare; Without cause they have digged for me a pit.
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.
May unforeseen destruction come upon them! May the snare which they have laid lay hold on themselves, And may they fall into destruction!
9 Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.
Then shall my soul rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in his protection.
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, Who, O LORD! is like thee, Who dost rescue the afflicted from the oppressor, The afflicted and destitute from the spoiler?
11 Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.
False witnesses have risen up; They charge me with that which has not entered my mind.
12 They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.
They repay me evil for good; They cause 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.
And yet I, during their sickness, clothed myself with sackcloth, And afflicted myself with fasting; And my prayer was turned to my 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 myself as if he had been my friend or brother; I bowed down in sadness, as one mourning for his mother.
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 at my fall they rejoice, and gather themselves together; Revilers whom I know not assemble themselves against me; They tear me without ceasing.
16 With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.
With base men who mock for their bread, They gnash at me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.
How long, O LORD! wilt thou look on? O rescue my life from the destruction they plot for me; My precious life from these young lions!
18 So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
I will thank thee in the great assembly! Before a numerous people I will praise thee.
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 my enemies wrongfully triumph over me; Let them not wink with the eye, who hate me without cause!
20 For they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.
For they speak not peace; They devise deceit against them that are quiet in the land.
21 And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.
Yea, they open their mouths wide against me; They say, “Aha, aha! our eyes seeth it.”
22 Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.
Thou seest it, O LORD! be not silent! O LORD! be not far from me!
23 Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Arouse thyself; awake for my defence! My God and my Lord, awake to my cause!
24 Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.
Judge me according to thy righteousness, O Jehovah, my God! Let them not triumph 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, “Aha! we have our wish!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up!”
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.
May they all be confounded and brought to shame, Who rejoice at my calamity! May they be clothed with ignominy and disgrace, Who exalt themselves 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 shout for joy, and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; Let them ever say, “The LORD be praised, Who delighteth in the prosperity of his servant!”
28 And my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.
So shall my tongue speak of thy righteousness, And daily repeat thy praise.
