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.

David’s. Contend, O Yahweh, with them who contend with me, Make war upon them who make war upon me.

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

Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in 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.

Then draw the spear, and close up against my pursuers, Say to my soul, Thy salvation, I am!

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 ashamed and confounded, who are seeking my life, —Let them turn back and be put to the blush, who are devising my hurt:

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

Let them be as chaff before the wind, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pressing them on:

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

Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing 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, have they hid for me, in a ditch, their net, —Without cause, have they digged [a pit] for my life.

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.

There shall reach him a ruin he could not know, —Yea, his own net which he hath hidden, shall capture him, Into that ruin, shall he fall!

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

But, my soul, shall exult in Yahweh, —shall 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, shall say—O Yahweh, who is like unto thee? Rescuing the oppressed from one stronger than he, Yea the oppressed and the needy, from their spoiler.

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

There rise up witnesses helping forward violence and wrong, What I know not, they demand of me:

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

They repay me evil for good, Bereaving 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 sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I humbled, with fasting, my soul, though, my prayer, unto mine own bosom, might return:

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.

Like as for a friend, like as for a brother of mine own, I walked to and fro, As though mourning for a mother, I gloomily bowed myself down.

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, in mine overthrow, have they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together, —There gathered themselves together against me foolish men, and I knew it not, They have torn in pieces, and not been silent;

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

Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon 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.

My Lord! how long wilt thou look on? Bring back my soul out of their raging, from among lions, my solitary self.

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

I will thank thee, in the midst of a great convocation, —In the midst of a mighty people, will I 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 who are falsely my foes rejoice over me, As for them who hate me without cause, let them not wink the eye!

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

For, no salvation, will they utter, —But, against the quiet of the land, deceitful things, do they devise;

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

Yea they have opened wide against me their mouth, They have said, Aha! Aha! our own eye, hath seen!

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

Thou hast seen, O Yahweh, do not keep silence! O My Lord! be not far from me:

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

Bestir thyself and wake up, to my vindication, O my God and My Lord!—to my plea:

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

Vindicate me according to thy righteousness, O Yahweh, my God! And 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.

Let them not say in their heart, Aha! to our mind! 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.

Let them turn pale, and then at once blush, who are rejoicing at my misfortune, —Let them be clothed with shame and confusion, who are magnifying 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 in triumph and rejoice, who are desiring my justification; And let them say continually, Yahweh be magnified, Who hath taken pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

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

Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness, —All the day long, —thy praise!