Psalm 35:1–16

1 Oppose my opponents, Lord;

fight those who fight me.g

2 Take your shields—large and small—

and come to my aid.h

3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,

and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”i

4 Let those who intend to take my life

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who plan to harm me

be turned back and ashamed.j

5 Let them be like chaff in the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away.k

6 Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.l

7 They hid their net for me without cause;

they dug a pit for me without cause.m

8 Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,

and let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it—to his ruin.n

9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will delight in his deliverance.o

10 All my bones will say,

“Lord, who is like you,p

rescuing the poor from one too strong for him,

the poor or the needy from one who robs him?”q

11 Malicious witnesses come forward;

they question me about things I do not know.r

12 They repay me evil for good,

making me desolate.s

13 Yet when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting,

and my prayer was genuine.A,t

14 I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother;

I was bowed down with grief,

like one mourning for a mother.u

15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;

they gathered against me.

Assailants I did not know

tore at me and did not stop.v

16 With godless mockeryB

they gnashed their teeth at me.w