Psalms 35

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

1Contend, O Lord, with those who 1contend with me; Fight against those who 2fight against me.2Take hold of 34buckler and shield And rise up for 5my help.3Draw also the spear and 6the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me; Say to my soul, “I am 7your salvation.”4Let those be 8ashamed and dishonored who seek my 9life; Let those be 10turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.5Let them be 11like chaff before the wind, With the angel of the Lord driving them on.6Let their way be dark and 12slippery, With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.7For 13without cause they 14hid their net for me; Without cause they dug a 15pit for my soul.8Let 16destruction come upon him unawares, And 17let the net which he hid catch himself; Into that very 18destruction let him fall.

9And my soul shall 19rejoice in the Lord; It shall 20exult in His salvation.10All my 21bones will say, “Lord, 22who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him 23who is too strong for him, And 24the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”1125Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know.12They 26repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul.13But as for me, 27when they were sick, my 28clothing was sackcloth; I 29humbled my soul with fasting, And my 30prayer kept returning to my bosom.14I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I 31bowed down 32mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.15But 33at my 34stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The 3536smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They 3738slandered me without ceasing.16Like godless jesters at a feast, They 39gnashed at me with their teeth.

17Lord, 40how long will You look on? Rescue my soul 41from their ravages, My 42only life from the lions.18I will 43give You thanks in the great congregation; I will 44praise You among a mighty throng.1945Do not let those who are wrongfully 46my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those 47who hate me without cause 4849wink maliciously.20For they do not speak peace, But they devise 50deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land.21They 51opened their mouth wide against me; They said, “52Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!”

2253You have seen it, O Lord, 54do not keep silent; O Lord, 55do not be far from me.2356Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord.2457Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness, And 58do not let them rejoice over me.25Do not let them say in their heart, “59Aha, our desire!” Do not let them say, “We have 60swallowed him up!”26Let 61those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be 62clothed with shame and dishonor who 63magnify themselves over me.

27Let them 64shout for joy and rejoice, who favor 65my vindication; And 66let them say continually, “The Lord be magnified, Who 67delights in the prosperity of His servant.”28And 68my tongue shall declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.