Psalms 35
35
A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies
Of David.#The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm
1Contend, O Yahweh, with my contenders;
fight those who fight me.
2Grasp buckler and shield
and rise to my aid.
3And draw the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated.
Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.
5Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of Yahweh driving them.#Literally “pushing”
6Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.
7For without cause they secretly hide the pit with their net for me;
without cause they dug it for my life.
8Let unforeseen ruin#Literally “ruin he does not know” come on him,
and his net that he hid, let it catch him.
Let him fall into it in ruin.
9Then my soul will rejoice in Yahweh;
it will rejoice in his salvation.
10All of my bones shall say, “O Yahweh, who is like you,
who delivers the poor from one stronger than he
and the poor and needy from the one who robs him?”
11Violent witnesses rise up;
they ask me concerning what I do not know.
12They repay me evil in place of good.
It is bereavement to my soul.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.
I weakened my soul with fasting,
and my prayer returned to me unanswered.#Literally “upon my lap it will return”
14I behaved#Literally “walked about” as though he were a friend or as a brother to me.
As one lamenting a mother, I was bowed down in mourning.
15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered together;
smiters whom I did not know gathered against me.
They tore and did not cease.
16Among the ungodly of the mockers at feasts,#With a slight change the Hebrew might read, “The ungodly boldly mocked”
they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17My Lord, how long will you watch?
Restore my life from their ravages,#Or “roaring”
my only life from the young lions.
18I will give thanks to you in the great assembly;
among the mighty people I will praise you.
19Let not those who are wrongfully my enemies#Or “those who oppose me with falsehood” rejoice over me.
Nor let those who hate me without cause wink the eye.
20For they do not speak peace,
but against the quiet ones of the land
they plan deceitful words.
21They also made wide their mouths#Hebrew “mouth” against me.
They said, “Aha! Aha!
Our eyes have seen it.”
22You have seen, O Yahweh. Do not be deaf.
O Lord, do not be far from me.
23Wake up and rouse yourself for my right,
for my cause, O my God and my Lord.
24Vindicate me according to your righteousness,
O Yahweh my God,
and do not let them rejoice over me.
25Do not let them say in their hearts,#Hebrew “heart” “Aha, our desire.”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”
26Let them be shamed and abashed altogether,
who rejoice at my misfortune.
Let them put on shame and insult,
who magnify themselves against me.
27Let them shout for joy and be glad,
who delight in my vindication;
and let them say continually, “Yahweh is great,
who delights in the welfare of his servant.”
28Then my tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
and your praise all day.
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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®)
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