Psalms 35

Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.

A Psalm of David.

1Contend, Lord, with those who 1contend with me; Fight against those who 2fight against me.2Take hold of 34buckler and shield And rise up as 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 13they 14hid their net for me without cause; Without cause they dug a pit for my soul.8Let 15destruction come upon him when he is unaware, And 16let the net which he hid catch him; Let him fall into that very 17destruction.

9So my soul shall 18rejoice in the Lord; It shall 19rejoice in His salvation.10All my 20bones will say, “Lord, 21who is like You, Who rescues the afflicted from one 22who is too strong for him, And 23the afflicted and the poor from one who robs him?”1124Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me things that I do not know.12They 25repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul.13But as for me, 26when they were sick, my 27clothing was sackcloth; I 28humbled my soul with fasting, But my 29prayer kept returning to 30me.14I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I 31bowed down 32in mourning, like one who mourns for a mother.15But 33at my 34stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The 3536afflicted people 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 people.1945Do not let those who are wrongfully 46my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those 47who hate me for no reason 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, Lord, 54do not keep silent; Lord, 55do not be far from me.2356Stir Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord.2457Judge me, 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!”26May 61those be ashamed and altogether humiliated who rejoice at my distress; May those who 62exalt themselves over me be 63clothed with shame and dishonor.

27May those 64shout for joy and rejoice, who take delight in 65my vindication; And 66may they say continually, “The Lord be exalted, Who 67delights in the prosperity of His servant.”28And 68my tongue shall proclaim Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.