Psalms 35

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

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

2 Grasp buckler and shield, and arise in my help;

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

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

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

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

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

6 Let their way become dark and slippery, with, the messenger of Yahweh, pursuing them.

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

7 For, without cause, have they hid for me, in a ditch, their net, —Without cause, have they digged [a pit] for my life.

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

8 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!

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 Yahweh, —shall be glad 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 Yahweh, who is like unto thee? Rescuing the oppressed from one stronger than he, Yea the oppressed and the needy, from their spoiler.

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

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

12 They repay me evil for good, Bereaving my soul.

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

13 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:

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 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.

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

15 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;

But in my adversity they rejoiced, and assembled themselves: [yes], the abjects assembled themselves against me, and I knew [it] not; they did tear [me], and ceased not:

16 Amidst profane praters of perversion, have they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

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

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

18 I will thank thee, in the midst of a great convocation, —In the midst of a mighty people, will I praise thee.

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

19 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, [even] to my cause, my God and my LORD.

24 Vindicate me according to thy righteousness, O Yahweh, my God! And let them not rejoice over 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 heart, Aha! to our mind! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up!

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 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.

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

27 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.

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

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

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