Psalms 35

1 By David. Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me.

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

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

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

3 Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”

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

4 Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonour. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded.

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

5 Let them be as chaff before the wind, the LORD’s angel driving them on.

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

6 Let their way be dark and slippery, the LORD’s angel pursuing them.

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

7 For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.

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

8 Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction.

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.

9 My soul shall be joyful in the LORD. It shall rejoice in his salvation.

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

10 All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?”

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.

11 Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don’t know about.

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

12 They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul.

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

13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom.

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

14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother.

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

15 But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease.

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

16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me.

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

17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.

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

18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you amongst many people.

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

19 Don’t let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes.

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

20 For they don’t speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.

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

21 Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”

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

22 You have seen it, LORD. Don’t keep silent. Lord, don’t be far from me.

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

23 Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me!

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

24 Vindicate me, LORD my God, according to your righteousness. Don’t let them gloat over me.

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

25 Don’t let them say in their heart, “Aha! That’s the way we want it!” Don’t let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

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

26 Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonour who magnify themselves against me.

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.

27 Let those who favour my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, “May the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!”

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.

28 My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long.

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