Psalms 35
David asks God to judge and protect him from those who harm and attack him without cause, and to confound and turn back those who pursue him with evil intentions. He expresses his trust in God's salvation and praises Him for rescuing the needy from the stronger. David also laments the injustice he has suffered at the hands of false witnesses and those who repay him evil for good. He asks God to restore his soul and judge him according to His justice, and to not let his enemies be glad over him.
1Of David himself. O Lord, judge those who harm me; assail those who attack me2Take hold of weapons and a shield, and rise up in assistance to me3Bring forth the spear, and close in on those who persecute me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation.4Let them be confounded and in awe, who pursue my soul. Let them be turned back and be confounded, who think up evil against me5May they become like dust before the face of the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord hem them in6May their way become dark and slippery, and may the Angel of the Lord pursue them7For, without cause, they have concealed their snare for me unto destruction. Over nothing, they have rebuked my soul8Let the snare, of which he is ignorant, come upon him, and let the deception, which he has hidden, take hold of him: and may he fall into that very snare9But my soul will exult in the Lord and delight over his salvation10All my bones will say, "Lord, who is like you?" He rescues the needy from the hand of the stronger one, the indigent and the poor from those who plunder him11Unfair witnesses have risen up, interrogating me about things of which I am ignorant12They repaid me evil for good, to the deprivation of my soul13But as for me, when they were harassing me, I was clothed with haircloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will become my sinews14Like a neighbor, and like our brother, so did I please; like one mourning and contrite, so was I humbled15And they have been joyful against me, and they joined together. Scourges have been gathered over me, and I was ignorant of it16They have been scattered, yet they were unremorseful. They have tested me. They scoffed at me with scorn. They gnashed their teeth over me17Lord, when will you look down upon me? Restore my soul from before their malice, my only one from before the lions18I will confess to you in a great Church. I will praise you among a weighty people19May those who are my unjust adversaries not be glad over me: those who have hated me without cause, and who nod agreement with their eyes20For indeed, they spoke peacefully to me; and speaking with passion to the earth, they intended deceit21And they opened their mouth wide over me. They said, "Well, well, our eyes have seen.22You have seen, O Lord, do not be silent. Lord, do not depart from me23Rise up and be attentive to my judgment, to my cause, my God and my Lord24Judge me according to your justice, O Lord, my God, and do not let them be glad over me25Do not let them say in their hearts, "Well, well, to our soul." Neither let them say, "We have devoured him.26Let them blush and be in awe together, those who congratulate at my misfortunes. Let them be clothed with confusion and awe, who speak great things against me27Let them exult and rejoice, who wish my justice, and let them ever say, "The Lord be magnified," who will the peace of his servant28And so my tongue will express your justice: your praise all day long
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