Psalms 35
35
Prayer for Help Against Unjust Enemies
1Of David.
I
#The mixture of judicial, martial, and hunting images shows that the language is figurative. The actual injustice is false accusation of serious crimes (Ps 35:11, 15, 20–21). The psalmist seeks lost honor through a trial before God.Oppose, O Lord, those who oppose me;
war upon those who make war upon me.
2Take up the shield and buckler;
rise up in my defense.
3Brandish lance and battle-ax
against my pursuers.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”
4Let those who seek my life
be put to shame and disgrace.
Let those who plot evil against me#Ps 40:15; 71:13.
be turned back and confounded.
5Make them like chaff before the wind,#Ps 1:4; 83:14; Jb 21:18.
with the angel of the Lord driving them on.
6Make their way slippery and dark,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
II
7Without cause they set their snare for me;
without cause they dug a pit for me.
8Let ruin overtake them unawares;
let the snare they have set catch them;
let them fall into the pit they have dug.#Ps 7:16; 9:16; 57:7; Prv 26:27; Eccl 10:8; Sir 27:26.
9Then I will rejoice in the Lord,
exult in God’s salvation.
10My very bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like you,#Ps 86:8; 89:7, 9; Ex 15:11.
Who rescue the afflicted from the powerful,
the afflicted and needy from the despoiler?”
III
11Malicious witnesses rise up,
accuse me of things I do not know.
12They repay me evil for good;
my soul is desolate.#Ps 27:12; 38:20–21; 109:5; Jer 18:20.
13#35:13, 15–17] The Hebrew is obscure.Yet I, when they were ill, put on sackcloth,
afflicted myself with fasting,
sobbed my prayers upon my bosom.
14I went about in grief as for my brother,
bent in mourning as for my mother.
15Yet when I stumbled they gathered with glee,
gathered against me and I did not know it.
They slandered me without ceasing;
16without respect they mocked me,
gnashed their teeth against me.
IV
17O Lord, how long will you look on?
Restore my soul from their destruction,
my very life from lions!#Ps 17:12; 22:22; 58:7.
18Then I will thank you in the great assembly;
I will praise you before the mighty throng.#Ps 22:23; 26:12; 35:18; 40:10; 149:1.
19Do not let lying foes rejoice over me,
my undeserved enemies wink knowingly.#Ps 38:17.
20They speak no words of peace,
but against the quiet in the land
they fashion deceitful speech.#Ps 120:6–7.
21They open wide their mouths against me.
They say, “Aha! Good!
Our eyes have seen it!”#Ps 40:16; Lam 2:16.
22You see this, Lord; do not be silent;#Ps 22:12; 38:21; 109:1.
Lord, do not withdraw from me.
23Awake, be vigilant in my defense,
in my cause, my God and my Lord.
24Defend me because you are just, Lord;
my God, do not let them rejoice over me.
25Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! Our soul!”#Aha! Our soul!: an ancient idiomatic expression meaning that we have attained what we wanted.
Do not let them say,
“We have devoured that one!”
26Put to shame and confound
all who relish my misfortune.
Clothe with shame and disgrace
those who lord it over me.
27But let those who favor my just cause
shout for joy and be glad.
May they ever say, “Exalted be the Lord
who delights in the peace of his loyal servant.”
28Then my tongue shall recount your justice,
declare your praise, all the day long.#Ps 71:15–16.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
Psalms 35
35
PSALM 35
Common Meter: 8,6,8,6
A Psalm of David.
1Plead, Lord, with those that plead; and fight
with those that fight with me.
2Of shield and buckler take thou hold,
stand up mine help to be.
3Draw also out the spear, and do
against them stop the way
That me pursue: unto my soul,
I'm thy salvation, say.
4Let them confounded be and sham'd
that for my soul have sought:
Who plot my hurt turn'd back be they,
and to confusion brought.
5Let them be like unto the chaff
that flies before the wind;
And let the angel of the Lord
pursue them hard behind.
6With darkness cover thou their way,
and let it slipp'ry prove;
And let the angel of the Lord
pursue them from above.
7For without cause have they for me
their net hid in a pit,
They also have without a cause
for my soul digged it.
8Let ruin seize him unawares;
his net he hid withal
Himself let catch; and in the same
destruction let him fall.
9My soul in God shall joy; and glad
in his salvation be:
10And all my bones shall say, O Lord,
who is like unto thee,
Which dost the poor set free from him
that is for him too strong;
The poor and needy from the man
that spoils and does him wrong?
11False witnesses rose; to my charge
things I not knew they laid.
12They, to the spoiling of my soul,
me ill for good repaid.
13But as for me, when they were sick,
in sackcloth sad I mourn'd:
My humbled soul did fast, my pray'r
into my bosom turn'd.
14Myself I did behave as he
had been my friend or brother;
I heavily bow'd down, as one
that mourneth for his mother.
15But in my trouble they rejoic'd,
gath'ring themselves together;
Yea, abjects vile together did
themselves against me gather:
I knew it not; they did me tear,
and quiet would not be.
16With mocking hypocrites, at feasts
they gnash'd their teeth at me.
17How long, Lord, look'st thou on? from those
destructions they intend
Rescue my soul, from lions young
my darling do defend.
18I will give thanks to thee, O Lord,
within th' assembly great;
And where much people gather'd are
thy praises forth will set.
19Let not my wrongful enemies
proudly rejoice o'er me;
Nor who me hate without a cause,
let them wink with the eye.
20For peace they do not speak at all;
but crafty plots prepare
Against all those within the land
that meek and quiet are.
21With mouths set wide, they 'gainst me said,
Ha, ha! our eye doth see.
22Lord, thou hast seen, hold not thy peace;
Lord, be not far from me.
23Stir up thyself; wake, that thou may'st
judgment to me afford,
Ev'n to my cause, O thou that art
my only God and Lord.
24O Lord my God, do thou me judge
after thy righteousness;
And let them not their joy 'gainst me
triumphantly express:
25Nor let them say within their hearts,
Ah, we would have it thus;
Nor suffer them to say, that he
is swallow'd up by us.
26Sham'd and confounded be they all
that at my hurt are glad;
Let those against me that do boast
with shame and scorn be clad.
27Let them that love my righteous cause
be glad, shout, and not cease
To say, The Lord be magnify'd,
who loves his servant's peace.
28Thy righteousness shall also be
declared by my tongue;
The praises that belong to thee
speak shall it all day long.
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