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. Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me, do battle with those who do battle with me.
2 Lay hand vpon the shielde and buckler, and stand vp for mine helpe.
Grasp shield and buckler, and rise up as 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 spear and battle-axe, confront those who pursue me. Assure me that you will help me.
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.
Dishonor and shame be on those who are seeking my life! Defeat and confusion on those who are planning my hurt!
5 Let them be as chaffe before the winde, and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them.
As chaff before wind may they be, with the Lord’s angel pursuing them.
6 Let their way be darke and slipperie: and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them.
Slippery and dark be their way, with his angel thrusting them on.
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 they wantonly hid their net for me, and dug a pit to destroy me.
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.
Upon them may ruin come unawares; may the net which they hid catch themselves, and into the pit may they fall.
9 Then my soule shalbe ioyfull in the Lord: it shall reioyce in his saluation.
Then I will exult in the Lord, and be joyful because of his help;
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!
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 Cruell witnesses did rise vp: they asked of me things that I knewe not.
Violent witnesses rise, and ask of me things that I know not.
12 They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoyled my soule.
Evil for good they requite me, leaving me inwardly comfortless.
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 when they were sick, I put on sackcloth, and chastened myself with fasting. I prayed with head bowed low,
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.
as if for my friend or my brother. I went about bowed and in mourning, as one who laments 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,
When I stumbled, they gleefully gathered, strangers gathered around me, and tore at me without ceasing,
16 With the false skoffers at bankets, gnashing their teeth against me.
impiously mocking and mocking, bearing their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long wilt thou beholde this? deliuer my soule from their tumult, euen my desolate soule from the lions.
How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their roaring, my precious life from the lions.
18 So will I giue thee thankes in a great Congregation: I will praise thee among much people.
I will then give you thanks in the great congregation, and praise you before many 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.
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 they speake not as friendes: but they imagine deceitfull woordes against the quiet of the lande.
For it is not peace that they speak of those who are quiet in the land; but treacherous charges they plot.
21 And they gaped on mee with their mouthes, saying, Aha, aha, our eye hath seene.
With wide open mouths they shout, “Hurrah! Hurrah! With our own eyes we saw it.”
22 Thou hast seene it, O Lord: keepe not silence: be not farre from me, O Lord.
But you have seen, too, O Lord, keep not silence, O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Arise and wake to my iudgement, euen to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Bestir you, awake, for my right my God, my Lord, for my cause.
24 Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousnesse, and let them not reioyce ouer mee.
You are just, Lord: win for me justice, let them not rejoice over me,
25 Let them not say in their hearts, O our soule reioyce: neither let them say, We haue deuoured him.
inwardly saying, “Hurrah! The desire of our hearts at last! Now 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.
Shame and confusion together on those who rejoice at my hurt! Clothed with shame and dishonor be those who are haughty to 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 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 my tongue shall vtter thy righteousnesse, and thy praise euery day.
Then my tongue will tell of your justice, and all the day long of your praise.
