Psalm 35:1–16

1 Contend, O Lord, with those who acontend with me;

Fight against those who bfight against me.

2 Take hold of 1abuckler and shield

And rise up for bmy help.

3 Draw also the spear and 1the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;

Say to my soul, “I am ayour salvation.”

4 Let those be aashamed and dishonored who seek my 1life;

Let those be bturned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.

5 Let them be alike chaff before the wind,

With the angel of the Lord driving them on.

6 Let their way be dark and aslippery,

With the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

7 For awithout cause they bhid their net for me;

Without cause they dug a 1pit for my soul.

8 Let adestruction come upon him unawares,

And blet the net which he hid catch himself;

Into that very cdestruction let him fall.

9 And my soul shall arejoice in the Lord;

It shall bexult in His salvation.

10 All my abones will say, “Lord, bwho is like You,

Who delivers the afflicted from him cwho is too strong for him,

And dthe afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”

11 aMalicious witnesses rise up;

They ask me of things that I do not know.

12 They arepay me evil for good,

To the bereavement of my soul.

13 But as for me, awhen they were sick, my bclothing was sackcloth;

I chumbled my soul with fasting,

And my dprayer kept returning to my bosom.

14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother;

I abowed down 1mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother.

15 But aat my 1stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;

The 2bsmiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,

They 3cslandered me without ceasing.

16 Like godless jesters at a feast,

They agnashed at me with their teeth.