Psalm 35:1–8

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

fight against those who fight against me!

Take hold of shield and buckler

and rise for my help!

Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers!

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation!”

Let them be put to shame and dishonor

who seek after my life!

Let them be turned back and disappointed

who devise evil against me!

Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away!

Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

For without cause they hid their net for me;

without cause they dug a pit for my life.

Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!

And let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it—to his destruction!

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me.

Take up shield and armor;

arise and come to my aid.

Brandish spear and javelin

against those who pursue me.

Say to me,

“I am your salvation.”

May those who seek my life

be disgraced and put to shame;

may those who plot my ruin

be turned back in dismay.

May they be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away;

may their path be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

Since they hid their net for me without cause

and without cause dug a pit for me,

may ruin overtake them by surprise—

may the net they hid entangle them,

may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.

Oppose my opponents, Lord;

fight those who fight me.

Take your shields—large and small—

and come to my aid.

Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers,

and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”

Let those who intend to take my life

be disgraced and humiliated;

let those who plan to harm me

be turned back and ashamed.

Let them be like chaff in the wind,

with the angel of the Lord driving them away.

Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

They hid their net for me without cause;

they dug a pit for me without cause.

Let ruin come on him unexpectedly,

and let the net that he hid ensnare him;

let him fall into it—to his ruin.

O Lord, oppose those who oppose me.

Fight those who fight against me.

Put on your armor, and take up your shield.

Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.

Lift up your spear and javelin

against those who pursue me.

Let me hear you say,

“I will give you victory!”

Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;

turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.

Blow them away like chaff in the wind—

a wind sent by the angel of the Lord.

Make their path dark and slippery,

with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.

I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.

So let sudden ruin come upon them!

Let them be caught in the trap they set for me!

Let them be destroyed in the pit they dug for me.

Contend, O Yahweh, with my contenders;

fight those who fight me.

Grasp buckler and shield

and rise to my aid.

And draw the spear and javelin to meet those who pursue me.

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

Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated.

Let those who plot calamity against me be repulsed and ashamed.

Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of Yahweh driving them.

Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of Yahweh pursuing them.

For without cause they secretly hide the pit with their net for me;

without cause they dug it for my life.

Let unforeseen ruin come on him,

and his net that he hid, let it catch him.

Let him fall into it in ruin.

Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me:

Fight against them that fight against me.

Take hold of shield and buckler,

And stand up for mine help.

Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me:

Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul:

Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

Let them be as chaff before the wind:

And let the angel of the Lord chase them.

Let their way be dark and slippery:

And let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit,

Which without cause they have digged for my soul.

Let destruction come upon him at unawares;

And let his net that he hath hid catch himself:

Into that very destruction let him fall.