Psalm 35–36
1 Contend,h Lord, with those who contend with me;
fighti against those who fight against me.
2 Take up shieldj and armor;
3 Brandish spearm and javelina n
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.o”
4 May those who seek my lifep
be disgracedq and put to shame;r
may those who plot my ruin
be turned backs in dismay.
5 May they be like chafft before the wind,
with the angel of the Lordu driving them away;
6 may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 Since they hid their netv for me without causew
and without cause dug a pitx for me,
8 may ruin overtake them by surprise—y
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit,z to their ruin.
9 Then my soul will rejoicea in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.b
10 My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you,c Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strongd for them,
the poor and needye from those who rob them.”
11 Ruthless witnessesf come forward;
they question me on things I know nothing about.
12 They repay me evil for goodg
and leave me like one bereaved.
13 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackclothh
and humbled myself with fasting.i
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
14 I went about mourningj
as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
as though weeping for my mother.
15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;k
assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
They slanderedl me without ceasing.
16 Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;b m
they gnashed their teethn at me.
17 How long,o Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious lifep from these lions.q
18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly;r
among the throngss I will praise you.t
19 Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemiesu without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reasonv
maliciously wink the eye.w
20 They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusationsx
against those who live quietly in the land.
21 They sneery at me and say, “Aha! Aha!z
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
22 Lord, you have seena this; do not be silent.
Do not be farb from me, Lord.
23 Awake,c and rised to my defense!
Contende for me, my God and Lord.
24 Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloatf over me.
25 Do not let them think, “Aha,g just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”h
26 May all who gloati over my distressj
be put to shamek and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over mel
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
27 May those who delight in my vindicationm
shout for joyn and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delightso in the well-being of his servant.”p
28 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,q
your praises all day long.r
Psalm 36a
For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.
1 I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:b s
There is no feart of God
before their eyes.u
2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.v
3 The words of their mouthsw are wicked and deceitful;x
they fail to act wiselyy or do good.z
4 Even on their beds they plot evil;a
they commit themselves to a sinful courseb
and do not reject what is wrong.c
5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulnessd to the skies.e
6 Your righteousnessf is like the highest mountains,g
your justice like the great deep.h
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.i
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!j
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.k
8 They feast on the abundance of your house;l
you give them drink from your riverm of delights.n
9 For with you is the fountain of life;o
in your lightp we see light.
10 Continue your loveq to those who know you,r
your righteousness to the upright in heart.s
11 May the foot of the proud not come against me,
nor the hand of the wickedt drive me away.
12 See how the evildoers lie fallen—
thrown down, not able to rise!u