Psalms 35

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

For David himself. Judge thou, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.

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

Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.

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

Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am thy salvation.

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

Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise against me.

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

Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

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

Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue 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 hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided 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 the snare which he knoweth not come upon him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and let the net which he hath hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.

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

But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted 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: Lord, who is like to thee? Who deliverest the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.

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

Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.

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

They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of 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 as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my 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.

As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.

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.

But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.

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

They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

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

Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? rescue thou soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.

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

I will give thanks to thee in a great church; I will praise thee in a strong people.

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 my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.

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

For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.

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

And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.

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

Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not thou silent: O Lord, depart not from me.

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

Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: 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 my God according to thy justice, and let them not rejoice over 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: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.

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

Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.

27 Let those who favor 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 rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.

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

Any my tongue shall meditate thy justice, thy praise all the day long.