Psalm 35

Of David.

¹ Oppose my opponents, LORD; fight those who fight me.

² Take your shields—large and small— and come to my aid.

³ Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”

⁴ Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed.

⁵ Let them be like chaff in the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

⁷ They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause.

⁸ Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his ruin.

⁹ Then I will rejoice in the LORD; I will delight in his deliverance.

¹⁰ All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like you, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?”

¹¹ Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know.

¹² They repay me evil for good, making me desolate.

¹³ Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.

¹⁴ I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for a mother.

¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me. Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop.

¹⁶ With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me.

¹⁷ Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; rescue my precious life from the young lions.

¹⁸ I will praise you in the great assembly; I will exalt you among many people.

¹⁹ Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink at me maliciously.

²⁰ For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peacefully in the land.

²¹ They open their mouths wide against me and say, “Aha, aha! We saw it!”

²² You saw it, LORD; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me.

²³ Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!

²⁴ Vindicate me, LORD my God, in keeping with your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵ Do not let them say in their hearts, “Aha! Just what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”

²⁶ Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.

²⁷ Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The LORD be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.”

²⁸ And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.