35:1 Of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
35:2 Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
35:3 Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
35:4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.
35:5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
35:6 may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.
35:7 Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
35:8 may ruin overtake them by surprise–may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
35:9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation.
35:10 My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, O LORD? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
35:11 Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.
35:12 They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn.
35:13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
35:14 I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.
35:15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing.
35:16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me.
35:17 O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
35:18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.
35:19 Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.
35:20 They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.
35:21 They gape at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.”
35:22 O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord.
35:23 Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.
35:24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.
35:25 Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!” or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
35:26 May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace.
35:27 May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
35:28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
35:1 Strive, O Jehovah, with those who strive with me; / Battle against those who battle against me.
35:2 Take hold of buckler and shield, / And rise up as my help.
35:3 Draw out also the spear, and close up the way / Against those who pursue me; / Say to my soul, / I am your salvation.
35:4 Let those who seek my life / Be put to shame and humiliated; / Let those who devise evil for me / Be turned back and confounded.
35:5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, / With the angel of Jehovah driving them on.
35:6 Let their way be darkness and slipperiness itself, / With the angel of Jehovah pursuing them.
35:7 For without cause they hid their net for me; / Without cause they dug a pit for me.
35:8 Let destruction come upon him unawares, / And let his net, which he hid, catch him; / Let him fall into it, into destruction.
35:9 Then my soul will exult in Jehovah; / It will rejoice in His salvation.
35:10 All my bones will say, / Jehovah, who is like You, / Who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him, / And the poor and needy from him who robs him?
35:11 Malicious witnesses rise up; / They ask me about things I know nothing of.
35:12 They repay me evil for good; / I am bereaved in soul.
35:13 But I, when they were sick, / Had sackcloth as my clothing; / I afflicted my soul with fasting, / And my prayer returned to my own bosom.
35:14 I conducted myself as if it had been my friend or my brother; / Like one mourning for his mother, I bowed down gloomily.
35:15 But at my stumbling they rejoice and gather together; / The attackers, whom I did not know / Gather together against me; / They tear at me and do not cease.
35:16 As profane mocking parasites, / They gnash their teeth at me.
35:17 O Lord, how long will You look on? / Rescue my soul from their destruction, / My precious life from the lions.
35:18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation; / Among a mighty people I will praise You.
35:19 Do not let those who are wrongly my enemies rejoice over me; / Do not let those who hate me without cause narrow their eyes at me.
35:20 For they do not speak peace, / But devise words of deceit / Against the quiet people of the land.
35:21 And they open their mouth wide against me; / They say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it.
35:22 You have seen, O Jehovah; do not be silent. / O Lord, do not be far from me.
35:23 Awake, and stir Yourself for my cause, / For my claim, O my God and my Lord.
35:24 Vindicate me according to Your righteousness, O Jehovah my God; / And do not let them rejoice over me.
35:25 Do not let them say in their heart, / Aha! That is what we wanted. / Do not let them say, We have swallowed him up.
35:26 May those who rejoice at my trouble / Be ashamed and confounded together; / May those who magnify themselves against me / Be clothed with shame and humiliation.
35:27 May those who delight in the vindication of my righteousness / Give a ringing shout and rejoice, / And may they say continually, / Jehovah be magnified, / Who delights in the well-being of His servant.
35:28 And my tongue will declare Your righteousness / And Your praise all day long.