1Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.2Take up shield and armour; arise and come to my aid.3Brandish spear and javelin[1] 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.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.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.12They repay me evil for good and leave me like one bereaved.13Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered,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;[2] 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.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 defence! 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.’28My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long.
Psalm 35
English Standard Version
Great Is the Lord
1Of David. Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! (Ex 14:25; Isa 42:13; Isa 49:25)2Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! (Ps 5:12; Ps 91:4)3Draw the spear and javelin[1] against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”4Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life! Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me! (Ps 35:26; Ps 40:14; Ps 69:22; Ps 70:2; Ps 71:13; Ps 83:17; Ps 109:6; Ps 129:5)5Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away! (Job 21:18)6Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them! (Ps 73:18; Jer 23:12)7For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.[2] (Job 18:8; Ps 7:15; Ps 69:4)8Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction! (Isa 47:11; 1Th 5:3)9Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation. (Ps 9:14; Lu 1:47)10All my bones shall say, “O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?” (Ex 15:11; Ps 51:8; Ps 71:19; Ps 86:8; Ps 89:6; Ps 89:8; Ps 113:5)11Malicious[3] witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. (Ps 27:12)12They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.[4] (Ps 38:20; Ps 109:4; Jer 18:20; Joh 10:32)13But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed[5] on my chest. (Nu 29:7; 1Ki 20:31; Job 30:25; Ps 69:10; Ps 69:11; Mt 10:13; Lu 10:6)14I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning. (Ps 38:6)15But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing; (Job 30:1; Job 30:8; Job 30:12)16like profane mockers at a feast,[6] they gnash at me with their teeth. (Job 16:9; Ps 37:12; La 2:16)17How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions! (Ps 22:20; Hab 1:13)18I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you. (Ps 22:25)19Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. (Ps 13:4; Ps 35:7; Ps 35:24; Ps 38:19; Ps 69:4; Ps 119:78; Ps 119:86; Pr 6:13; Pr 10:10; Joh 15:25)20For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.21They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!” (Ps 22:13; Ps 35:25; Ps 40:15; Ps 70:3)22You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me! (Ex 3:7; Ps 10:1; Ps 28:1)23Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! (Ps 7:6; Ps 44:23; Ps 59:4; Ps 80:2)24Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me! (Ps 7:8; Ps 35:19)25Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart’s desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” (2Sa 17:16; Ps 35:21; La 2:16)26Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me! (Job 8:22; Job 19:5; Ps 35:4)27Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” (Ps 34:3; Ps 40:16; Ps 70:4; Ps 149:4)28Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. (Ps 51:14; Ps 71:8; Ps 71:15; Ps 71:24)