Psalms 35

Contend with those who contend with me

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.a ²Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid. ³Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.” ⁴May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.b

⁵May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; ⁶may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. ⁷Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, ⁸may ruin overtake them by surprise— may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.c

⁹Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in his salvation. ¹⁰My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.” ¹¹Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.d

¹²They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.e ¹³Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,f ¹⁴I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother.

¹⁵But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing. ¹⁶Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked; they gnashed their teeth at me. ¹⁷How long, Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.

¹⁸I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you. ¹⁹Do not let those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; do not let those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye.g ²⁰They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.

²¹They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it.” ²²Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord. ²³Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.

²⁴Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God; do not let them gloat over me. ²⁵Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!” or say, “We have swallowed him up.” ²⁶May 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.

²⁷May 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.”h ²⁸My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.