Psalms 35
35
A Psalm of David.
1Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2Take hold of shield and buckler,
and rise for my help!
3Draw the spear and javelin
against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
“I am your deliverance!”
4Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and confounded
who devise evil against me!
5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them on!
6Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit#35.7 The word pitis transposed from the preceding line for my life.
8Let ruin come upon them unawares!
And let the net which they hid ensnare them;
let them fall therein to ruin!
9Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his deliverance.
10All my bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like thee,
thou who deliverest the weak
from him who is too strong for him,
the weak and needy from him who despoils him?”
11Malicious witnesses rise up;
they ask me of things that I know not.
12They requite me evil for good;
my soul is forlorn.
13But I, when they were sick—
I wore sackcloth,
I afflicted myself with fasting.
I prayed with head bowed#35.13 Or My prayer turned back on my bosom,
14as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
I went about as one who laments his mother,
bowed down and in mourning.
15But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,
they gathered together against me;
cripples whom I knew not
slandered me without ceasing;
16they impiously mocked more and more,#35.16 Cn Compare Gk: Heb like the profanest of mockers of a cake
gnashing at me with their teeth.
17How long, O Lord, wilt thou look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my life from the lions!
18Then I will thank thee in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise thee.
19 #
Ps 69.4; Jn 15.25. Let not those rejoice over me
who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
who hate me without cause.
20For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they conceive words of deceit.
21They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha!
our eyes have seen it!”
22Thou hast seen, O Lord; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!
23Bestir thyself, and awake for my right,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to thy righteousness;
and let them not rejoice over me!
25Let them not say to themselves,
“Aha, we have our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26Let them be put to shame and confusion altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!
27Let those who desire my vindication
shout for joy and be glad,
and say evermore,
“Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
28Then my tongue shall tell of thy righteousness
and of thy praise all the day long.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Psalms 35
35
A Prayer for Help#Ps 35 Hebrew title: By David.
1Oppose those who oppose me, LORD,
and fight those who fight against me!
2Take your shield and armour
and come to my rescue.
3Lift up your spear and your axe
against those who pursue me.
Promise that you will save me.
4May those who try to kill me
be defeated and disgraced!
May those who plot against me
be turned back and confused!
5May they be like straw blown by the wind
as the angel of the LORD pursues them!
6May their path be dark and slippery
while the angel of the LORD strikes them down!
7Without any reason they laid a trap for me
and dug a deep hole to catch me.
8But destruction will catch them before they know it;
they will be caught in their own trap
and fall to their destruction!
9Then I will be glad because of the LORD;
I will be happy because he saved me.
10With all my heart I will say to the LORD,
“There is no one like you.
You protect the weak from the strong,
the poor from the oppressor.”
11Evil people testify against me
and accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
12They pay me back evil for good,
and I sink in despair.
13But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning;
I deprived myself of food;
I prayed with my head bowed low,
14as I would pray for a friend or a brother.
I went about bent over in mourning,
as one who mourns for his mother.
15But when I was in trouble, they were all glad
and gathered round to mock me;
strangers beat me
and kept striking me.
16Like those who would mock a cripple,#35.16 Probable text Like those… cripple; Hebrew unclear.
they glared at me with hate.
17How much longer, Lord, will you just look on?
Rescue me from their attacks;
save my life from these lions!
18Then I will thank you in the assembly of your people;
I will praise you before them all.
19 #
Ps 69.4; Jn 15.25 Don't let my enemies, those liars,
gloat over my defeat.
Don't let those who hate me for no reason
smirk with delight over my sorrow.
20They do not speak in a friendly way;
instead they invent all kinds of lies about peace-loving people.
21They accuse me, shouting,
“We saw what you did!”
22But you, O LORD, have seen this.
So don't be silent, Lord;
don't keep yourself far away!
23Rouse yourself, O Lord, and defend me;
rise up, my God, and plead my cause.
24You are righteous, O LORD, so declare me innocent;
don't let my enemies gloat over me.
25Don't let them say to themselves,
“We are rid of him!
That's just what we wanted!”
26May those who gloat over my suffering
be completely defeated and confused;
may those who claim to be better than I am
be covered with shame and disgrace.
27May those who want to see me acquitted
shout for joy and say again and again,
“How great is the LORD!
He is pleased with the success of his servant.”
28Then I will proclaim your righteousness,
and I will praise you all day long.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.