Psalm 35–36

A Prayer for Rescue from Enemies

35Of David.^a

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.^b

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^c 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.^d

¹⁴I behaved^e 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,^f

they gnashed at me with their teeth.

¹⁷My Lord, how long will you watch?

Restore my life from their ravages,^g

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^h 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 mouthsⁱ 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,^j “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.

Human Wickedness and God’s Love

36For the music director. Of David, the servant of Yahweh.^a

¹An oracle: the wicked has rebellion

in the midst of his^b heart.

There is no fear of God before his eyes.

²For he flatters himself in his eyes,

hating to detect his iniquity.^c

³The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit.

He has ceased to have insight and to do good.

⁴He plans sin on his bed.

He puts himself on a way that is not good.

He does not reject evil.

⁵O Yahweh, your loyal love extends into the heavens,

your faithfulness unto the clouds.

⁶Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,^d

your judgments like the great deep.

You save man and beast, O Yahweh.

⁷How precious is your loyal love, O God,

and the children of humankind

take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

⁸They are refreshed with the fullness^e of your house,^f

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

⁹For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we see light.

¹⁰Prolong your loyal love to those who know you,

and your righteousness to the upright of heart.

¹¹Do not let a foot of pride come against me,

nor let a wicked hand make me to wander homeless.

¹²There doers of evil have fallen;

they are thrust down and not able to rise.