Psalm 35

Psalm 35

A psalm of David.

1 O LORD, oppose those who oppose me.
Fight those who fight against me.2 Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
Prepare for battle, and come to my aid.3 Lift up your spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Let me hear you say,
“I will give you victory!”4 Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me.5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind—
a wind sent by the angel of the LORD.6 Make their path dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.7 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.8 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.9 Then I will rejoice in the LORD.
I will be glad because he rescues me.10 With every bone in my body I will praise him:
“LORD, who can compare with you?
Who else rescues the helpless from the strong?
Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”11 Malicious witnesses testify against me.
They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.12 They repay me evil for good.
I am sick with despair.13 Yet when they were ill, I grieved for them.
I denied myself by fasting for them,
but my prayers returned unanswered.14 I was sad, as though they were my friends or family,
as if I were grieving for my own mother.15 But they are glad now that I am in trouble;
they gleefully join together against me.
I am attacked by people I don’t even know;
they slander me constantly.16 They mock me and call me names;
they snarl at me.17 How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing?
Rescue me from their fierce attacks.
Protect my life from these lions!18 Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly.
I will praise you before all the people.19 Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.20 They don’t talk of peace;
they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.21 They shout, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we saw him do it!”22 O LORD, you know all about this.
Do not stay silent.
Do not abandon me now, O Lord.23 Wake up! Rise to my defense!
Take up my case, my God and my Lord.24 Declare me not guilty, O LORD my God, for you give justice.
Don’t let my enemies laugh about me in my troubles.25 Don’t let them say, “Look, we got what we wanted!
Now we will eat him alive!”26 May those who rejoice at my troubles
be humiliated and disgraced.
May those who triumph over me
be covered with shame and dishonor.27 But give great joy to those who came to my defense.
Let them continually say, “Great is the LORD,
who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”28 Then I will proclaim your justice,
and I will praise you all day long.

PSALMS 35

A Prayer for Protection //from Enemies

1 Fight my enemies, [Lord]!
Attack my attackers!

2 Shield me and help me.

3 Aim your spear at everyone
who hunts me down,
but promise to save me.

4 Let all who want to kill me
be disgraced
and put to shame.
Chase away and confuse
all who plan to harm me.

5 Send your angel after them
and let them be like straw
in the wind.

6 Make them run in the dark
on a slippery road,
as your angel chases them.

7 I did them no harm,
but they hid a net
to trap me,
and they dug a deep pit
to catch and kill me.

8  t Surprise them with disaster!
Trap them in their own nets
and let them fall and rot
in the pits they have dug.

9 I will celebrate and be joyful
because you, [Lord],
have saved me.

10 Every bone in my body
will shout:
“No one is like the [Lord]!”
You protect the helpless
from those in power;
you save the poor and needy
from those who hurt them.

11 Liars accuse me of crimes
I know nothing about.

12 They repay evil for good,
and I feel all alone.

13 When they were sick,
I wore sackclotht
and went without food.t
I truly prayed for them, t

14 as I would for a friend
or a relative.
I was in sorrow and mourned,
as I would for my mother.

15 I have stumbled,
and worthless liars
I don't even know
surround me and sneer.

16 Worthless people make funt
and never stop laughing.

17 But all you do is watch!
When will you do something?
Save me from the attack
of those vicious lions.

18 And when your people meet,
I will praise you
and thank you, Lord,
in front of them all.

19  t Don't let my brutal enemies
be glad because of me.
They hate me for no reason.
Don't let them wink
behind my back.

20 They say hurtful things,
and they lie to people
who want to live in peace.

21 They are quick to accuse me.
They say, “You did it!
We saw you ourselves.”

22 You see everything, [Lord]!
Please don't keep silent
or stay so far away.

23 Fight to defend me, Lord God,

24 and prove that I am right
by your standards.
Don't let them laugh at me

25 or say to each other,
“Now we've got what we want!
We'll gobble him up!”

26 Disappoint and confuse
all who are glad
to see me in trouble;
disgrace and embarrass
my proud enemies who say to me,
“You are nothing!”

27 Let all who want me to win
be happy and joyful.
From now on let them say,
“The [Lord] is wonderful!
God is glad when all goes well
for his servant.”

28 Then I will shout all day,
“Praise the [Lord] God!
He did what was right.”