Psalms 35
35
A song of David.
1Lord, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight me.
2Pick up your shields, large and small.
Get up and help me!
3Take a spear and javelin
and fight those who are chasing me.
Tell me, “I will rescue you.”
4Some people are trying to kill me.
Disappoint them and make them ashamed.
Make them turn and run away.
They are planning to hurt me.
Defeat and embarrass them.
5Make them like chaff blown by the wind.#35:5 wind This may be a wordplay, because the Hebrew word also means “spirit.”
Let them be chased by the Lord’s angel.
6Make their road dark and slippery.
Let the Lord’s angel chase them.
7I did nothing wrong, but they tried to trap me.
For no reason at all, they dug a pit to catch me.
8So let them fall into their own traps.
Let them stumble into their own nets.
Let some unknown danger catch them.
9Then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will be happy when he saves me.
10With my whole self I will say,
“Lord, there is no one like you.
You protect the poor from those who are stronger.
You save the poor and helpless from those who try to rob them.”
11There are witnesses#35:11 witnesses People who tell what they have seen or heard. Here, these people were probably telling lies. trying to harm me.
They ask me questions that I know nothing about.
12They pay me back evil for the good I have done.
They make me so very sad.
13When they were sick, I was sad and wore sackcloth.
I went without eating to show my sorrow.
(May my prayers for them not be answered!)
14I mourned for them as I would for a friend or a brother.
I bowed low with sadness, crying as I would for my own mother.
15But when I had troubles, they laughed at me.
They were not really friends.
I was surrounded and attacked
by people I didn’t even know.
16They made fun of me, using the worst language.
They ground their teeth to show their anger.
17My Lord, how long will you watch this happen?
Save my life from these people
who are attacking me like lions and trying to destroy me.
18I will praise you in the great assembly.
I will praise you there among the crowds.
19Don’t let my lying enemies keep on laughing at me.
They have no reason to hate me.
Surely they will be punished for their secret plans.#35:19 Surely … plans Literally, “Will the people who hate me freely wink their eyes?”
20They have no friendly words for others,
but plan ways to hurt those who want to live in peace.
21They are telling lies about me.
They say, “Aha! We know what you did!”
22Lord, surely you can see what is happening.
So don’t keep quiet.
Lord, don’t leave me.
23Wake up! Get up!
My God and my Lord, fight for me, and bring me justice.
24Lord my God, judge me with your fairness.
Don’t let those people laugh at me.
25Don’t let them think, “Aha! We got what we wanted!”
Don’t let them say, “We destroyed him!”
26Let my enemies be ashamed and embarrassed—
all those who were happy about my troubles.
Proud of themselves, they treated me as worthless.
So let them be covered with shame and disgrace.
27To those who want the best for me,
I wish them joy and happiness.
May they always say, “Praise the Lord,
who wants what is best for his servant.”
28So, Lord, I will tell people how good you are.
I will praise you all day long.
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Psalms 35: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Psalms 35
35
(A psalm by David.)
A Prayer for Protection from Enemies
1Fight my enemies, Lord!
Attack my attackers!
2Shield me and help me.
3Aim your spear at everyone
who hunts me down,
but promise to save me.
4Let all who want to kill me
be disgraced
and put to shame.
Chase away and confuse
all who plan to harm me.
5Send your angel after them
and let them be like straw
in the wind.
6Make them run in the dark
on a slippery road,
as your angel chases them.
7I did them no harm,
but they hid a net
to trap me,
and they dug a deep pit
to catch and kill me.
8 #
3 Macc 6.21. Surprise them with disaster!
Trap them in their own nets
and let them fall and rot
in the pits they have dug.
9I will celebrate and be joyful
because you, Lord,
have saved me.
10Every bone in my body
will shout:
“No one is like the Lord!”
You protect the helpless
from those in power;
you save the poor and needy
from those who hurt them.
11Liars accuse me of crimes
I know nothing about.
12They repay evil for good,
and I feel all alone.
13When they were sick,
I wore sackcloth#35.13 sackcloth: See the note at 30.11.
and went without food.#35.13 went without food: People sometimes went without food (called “fasting”) to show sorrow.
I truly prayed for them,#35.13 I … them: Or “My prayer wasn't answered, but I prayed.”
14as I would for a friend
or a relative.
I was in sorrow and mourned,
as I would for my mother.
15I have stumbled,
and worthless liars
I don't even know
surround me and sneer.
16Worthless people make fun#35.16 Worthless … fun: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
and never stop laughing.
17But all you do is watch!
When will you do something?
Save me from the attack
of those vicious lions.
18And when your people meet,
I will praise you
and thank you, Lord,
in front of them all.
19 #
Ps 69.4; Jn 15.25. Don't let my brutal enemies
be glad because of me.
They hate me for no reason.
Don't let them wink
behind my back.
20They say hurtful things,
and they lie to people
who want to live in peace.
21They are quick to accuse me.
They say, “You did it!
We saw you ourselves.”
22You see everything, Lord!
Please don't keep silent
or stay so far away.
23Fight to defend me, Lord God,
24and prove that I am right
by your standards.
Don't let them laugh at me
25or say to each other,
“Now we've got what we want!
We'll gobble him up!”
26Disappoint and confuse
all who are glad
to see me in trouble;
disgrace and embarrass
my proud enemies who say to me,
“You are nothing!”
27Let all who want me to win
be happy and joyful.
From now on let them say,
“The Lord is wonderful!
God is glad when all goes well
for his servant.”
28Then I will shout all day,
“Praise the Lord God!
He did what was right.”
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.