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
Tehillim (Psa) 35
35
1By David:
Adonai, oppose those who oppose me;
fight against those who fight against me.
2Grasp your shield and protective gear,
and rise to my defense.
3Brandish spear and battle-axe
against my pursuers;
let me hear you say,
“I am your salvation.”
4May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to confusion;
may those who are plotting harm for me
be repulsed and put to shame.
5May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Adonai to drive them on.
6May their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Adonai to pursue them.
7For unprovoked, they hid their net over a pit;
unprovoked, they dug it for me.
8May destruction come over him unawares.
May the net he concealed catch himself;
may he fall into it and be destroyed.
9Then I will be joyful in Adonai,
I will rejoice in his salvation.
10All my bones will say,
“Who is like you?
Who can rescue the weak
from those stronger than they,
the poor and needy
from those who exploit them?”
11Malicious witnesses come forward,
asking me things about which I know nothing.
12They repay me evil for good;
it makes me feel desolate as a parent bereaved.
13But I, when they were ill, wore sackcloth;
I put myself out and fasted;
I can pray that what I prayed for them
might also happen to me.
14I behaved as I would for my friend or my brother;
I bent down in sorrow as if mourning my mother.
15But when I stumble, they gather in glee;
they gather against me and strike me unawares;
they tear me apart unceasingly.
16With ungodly mocking and grimacing,
they grind their teeth at me.
17Adonai, how much longer will you look on?
Rescue me from their assaults,
save the one life I have from the lions!
18I will give you thanks in the great assembly,
I will give you praise among huge crowds of people.
19Don’t let those who are wrongfully my enemies
gloat over me;
and those who hate me unprovoked —
don’t let them smirk at me.
20For they don’t speak words of peace
but devise ways to deceive
the peaceful of the land.
21They shout to accuse me, “Aha! Aha!
we saw you with our own eyes!”
22You saw them, Adonai; don’t stay silent.
Adonai, don’t stay far away from me.
23Wake up! Get up, my God, my Lord!
Defend me and my cause!
24Give judgment for me, Adonai, my God,
as your righteousness demands.
Don’t let them gloat over me.
25Don’t let them say to themselves,
“Aha! We got what we wanted!”
or say, “We swallowed them up!”
26May those who gloat over my distress
be disgraced and humiliated.
May those who aggrandize themselves at my expense
be covered with shame and confusion.
27But may those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad!
Let them say always, “How great is Adonai,
who delights in the peace of his servant!”
28Then my tongue will tell of your righteousness
and praise you all day long.
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