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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Psalms 35
35
Justice for the Oppressed
1A psalm of David. Adonai, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight me.
2Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to my help.
3Draw out also a spear and battle-axe. Stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul: “I am your salvation.”
4May those who seek my life be ashamed and disgraced. May they be turned back and humiliated —those who plot evil against me.
5May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of Adonai driving them off.
6May their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of Adonai pursuing them.
7For without cause they hid their net for me, and without cause they dug a pit for my soul.
8Let ruin come upon him by surprise. Let the net he hid entangle himself —into that same pit let him fall.
9Then my soul will rejoice in Adonai and delight in His salvation.
10All my bones will say: “Adonai, who is like You, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor and needy from one who robs him?”
11Violent witnesses rise up. They question me about things I know nothing about.
12They repay me evil for good— my soul is forlorn.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting, my prayer kept returning to my heart.
14I went about mourning as though for my own friend or brother. I bowed down dressed in black as though for my own mother.
15But at my stumbling they gathered in glee. Wretches gathered against me whom I did not know, tearing at me without ceasing.
16They mocked profanely, as if at a feast, they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17My Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages— my solitary existence from the lions.
18I praise You in the great assembly, acclaiming You among a throng of people.
19Do not let my deceitful enemies gloat over me without cause, nor let those who hate me for nothing wink an eye.
20For they never speak shalom, but devise deceitful words against the quiet ones in the land.
21Yes, they open their mouth wide against me, saying: “Aha! Aha! Our own eyes have seen it!”
22You have seen it, Adonai—be not silent! Adonai, be not far from me.
23Arise, awaken to my defense, to my cause—my God and my Lord!
24Vindicate me, Adonai my God, according to Your justice, and do not let them gloat over me.
25Don’t let them say in their heart: “Aha! Just what we wanted!” Don’t let them say: “We swallowed him up!”
26May they be ashamed and humiliated, those who rejoice over my misery. May they who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27May they shout for joy and be glad, those who delight in my righteous cause. May they always say: “Exalted be Adonai, who delights in His servant’s shalom.”
28Then my tongue will declare aloud Your justice and Your praises all day.
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