Psalms35

¹Great Is the Lord Of David . Contend , O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!

²Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help !

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 disappointed who devise evil against me!

⁵Let them be like chaff before the wind , with the angel of the Lord driving them away !

⁶Let their way be dark and slippery , with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!

⁷For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life .

⁸Let 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 !

⁹Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, exulting in his salvation .

¹⁰All my bones shall say , O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?

¹¹Malicious witnesses rise up ; they ask me of things that I do not know .

¹²They repay me evil for good ; my soul is bereft .

¹³But I, when they were sick — I wore sackcloth ; I afflicted myself with fasting ; I prayed with head bowed on my chest .

¹⁴I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother ; as one who laments his mother , I bowed down in mourning .

¹⁵But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered ; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing ;

¹⁶like profane mockers at a feast , they gnash at me with their teeth .

¹⁷How long , O Lord , will you look on ? Rescue me from their destruction , my precious life from the lions !

¹⁸I will thank you in the great congregation ; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

¹⁹Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes , and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause .

²⁰For they do not speak peace , but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit .

²¹They open wide their mouths against me ; they say , Aha , Aha ! Our eyes have seen it!

²²You have seen , O Lord; be not silent ! O Lord , be not far from me!

²³Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication , for my cause , my God and my Lord !

²⁴Vindicate me, O Lord, my God , according to your righteousness , and let them not rejoice over me!

²⁵Let them not say in their hearts , Aha , our heart’s desire ! Let them not say , We have swallowed him up .

²⁶Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity ! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me !

²⁷Let those who delight in my righteousness 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 the day long.