Psalms 35

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

A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

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

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help.

3 Bring forth a sword, and stop [the way] against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am your salvation.

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul, I am thy salvation.

4 Let them that seek my soul be ashamed and confounded: let them that devise evils against me be turned back and put to shame.

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

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

Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.

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

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

7 For without cause they have hid for me their destructive snare: without a cause they have reproached my soul.

For without cause they have hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have dug for my soul.

8 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.

Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

9 But my soul shall exult in the Lord: it shall delight in his salvation.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

10 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.

All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like thee, who deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, even the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

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

False witnesses arose; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12 They rewarded me evil for good, and bereavement to my soul.

They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

13 But I, when they troubled me, put on sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting: and my prayer shall return to my [own] bosom.

But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom.

14 I behaved agreeably towards them as [if it had been] our neighbor [or] brother: I humbled myself as one mourning and sad of countenance.

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

15 Yet they rejoiced against me, and plagues were plentifully brought against me, and I knew [it] not: they were scattered, but repented not.

But in my adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the smiters gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

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

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

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

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among many people.

19 Let not them that are mine enemies without a cause rejoice against me; who hate me for nothing, and wink with their eyes.

Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

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

For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

21 And they opened wide their mouth upon me; they said Aha, aha, our eyes have seen [it].

Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

22 You have seen [it], O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, withdraw not [yourself] from me.

This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.

23 Awake, O Lord, and attend to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my Lord.

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even to my cause, my God and my Lord.

24 Judge me, O Lord, according to your righteousness, O Lord my God; and let them not rejoice against me.

Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.

25 Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, aha, [it is pleasing] to our soul: neither let them say, We have devoured him.

Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.

26 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.

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at my hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

27 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.

Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

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

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.