Psalm 35

A Psalm of David.

1  aPlead my cause, O Lord, bwith them that strive with me:

Fight against them that fight against me.

2  Take hold of cshield and buckler,

And stand up dfor mine help.

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

Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

4  ddLet them be efconfounded and eput to shame that seek after my soul:

Let them be efturned back and ebrought to confusion that devise my hurt.

5  Let them be gas chaff before the wind:

And let the angel of the Lord chase them.

6  Let their way be †dark and hslippery:

And let the angel of the Lord persecute them.

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

Which without cause they have digged for my soul.

8  jLet destruction come upon him †at unawares;

And jklet his net that he hath hid catch himself:

Into that very destruction let him fall.

9  And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord:

lIt shall rejoice in his salvation.

10  All mmy bones shall say,

Lord, nWho is like unto thee,

Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him,

Yea, nnthe poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

11  †oFalse witnesses did rise up;

†They laid to my charge things that I knew not.

12  pThey rewarded me evil for good

To the †spoiling of my soul.

13  But as for me, qwhen they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth:

I ||humbled my soul with fasting;

And my prayer rreturned into mine own bosom.

14  I †behaved myself †as though he had been my friend or brother:

sI bowed down heavily, as sone that mourneth for his mother.

15  But in mine †adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together:

Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not;

They did ttear me, and ceased not:

16  With uhypocritical mockers in feasts,

They xgnashed upon me with their teeth.

17  Lord, how long wilt thou ylook on?

Rescue my soul from their destructions,

†My darling from the lions.

18  zI will give thee thanks in the great congregation:

I will praise thee among †much people.

19  aLet not them that are mine enemies †wrongfully rejoice over me:

bNeither let them cwink with the eye dthat hate me dewithout a cause.

20  For they speak not peace:

But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.

21  Yea, they fopened their mouth wide against me,

And said, gAha, aha, our eye hath seen it.

22  This hthou hast seen, O Lord: ikeep not silence:

O Lord, kbe not far from me.

23  lStir up thyself, and mawake nto my judgment,

Even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

24  oJudge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness;

And plet them not rejoice over me.

25  Let them not say in their hearts, †qAh, so would we have it:

Let them not say, rWe have swallowed him up.

26  sLet them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt:

Let them be tclothed with shame and dishonour that umagnify themselves against me.

27  xLet them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour †my righteous cause:

Yea, let them ysay continually, zLet the Lord be magnified,

aWhich hath pleasure in the bprosperity of his servant.

28  And cmy tongue shall speak of thy righteousness

And of thy praise all the day long.