Psalm 35

Psalm 35

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

Of David.

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

fight against those who fight against me!^*

²Take hold of shield and buckler,

and rise up to help me!

³Draw the spear and javelin

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 confounded

who devise evil against me.^*

⁵Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them on.^*

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.^*

⁷For without cause they hid their net^k for me;

without cause they dug a pit^l for my life.^*

⁸Let ruin come on them unawares,

and let the net that they hid ensnare them;

let them fall in it—to their ruin.^*

⁹Then my soul shall rejoice in the Lord,

exulting in his deliverance.^*

¹⁰All my bones shall say,

“O Lord, who is like you?

You deliver the weak

from those too strong for them,

the weak and needy from those who despoil them.”^*

¹¹Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me about things I do not know.^*

¹²They repay me evil for good;

my soul is forlorn.^*

¹³But as for me, when they were sick,

I wore sackcloth;

I afflicted myself with fasting.

I prayed with head bowed^m on my bosom,^*

¹⁴as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;

I went about as one who laments for a mother,

bowed down and in mourning.

¹⁵But at my stumbling they gathered in glee;

they gathered together against me;

ruffians whom I did not know

tore at me without ceasing;^*

¹⁶they impiously mocked more and more,ⁿ

gnashing at me with their teeth.

¹⁷How long, O Lord, will you look on?

Rescue me from their ravages,

my life from the lions!^*

¹⁸Then I will thank you in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise you.^*

¹⁹Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me

or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.^*

²⁰For they do not speak peace,

but they conceive deceitful words

against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, “Aha, Aha,

our eyes have seen it.”^*

²²You have seen, O Lord; do not be silent!

O Lord, do not be far from me!^*

²³Wake up! Rouse yourself for my defense,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!^*

²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and do not let them rejoice over me.^*

²⁵Do not let them say to themselves,

“Aha, we have our heart’s desire.”

Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you^o up.”^*

²⁶Let all those who rejoice at my calamity

be put to shame and confusion;

let those who exalt themselves against me

be clothed with shame and dishonor.^*

²⁷Let those who desire my vindication

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

“Great is the Lord,

who delights in the welfare of his servant.”^*

²⁸Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all day long.^*